Y/N: Alright, let's get out of here and track the one that took Marcus.

Týra moves a giant metal shelf out of the way.

Týra: Through here.

As they make their way through, they start to hear more distant roars and screeches.

Blake: Sounds like they're moving deeper into the fort.

JD: Then that's where we're going.

Alex kicks open a door, but stumbles as it was blocked.

Alex: Ah, crap. It's another one of those damn pods. Stand back.

Alex saws at the pod and it opens to reveal some kind of creature with no arms or legs and its mouth suddenly splits, letting out a loud screech.

Suddenly several more pods open and white three-foot creatures come out Juvies. Juvies are a type of small creature scouts and cannon fodder in the Swarm.

Sonro: Holy shit!

One of Juvies tried to jump on Ruby who screamed but Yang punched and blasted it back with her shotgun gauntlets.

Yang: You okay?

Ruby: Yeah.

Kait: What the hell are these things anyway?!

Del tries to shoot one off a roof, but misses as it jumps down and avoids more shots.

Del: Fast as shit, that's what!

Alex catches one by the throat and throws it back as he then saws down another.

Alex: Jesus Christ! These things like to jump!

Arc used his lightning at the Juvies, electrocuting them to death.

Arcturus: My advice? Do NOT touch anymore pods.

Del: I can't even believe this shit. We got monsters snatching people, things jumping out of pods...

Tyrone: Yeah, and no idea what the hell's going on.

Kait: (sighs) Glad I'm not the only one.

Alex hops over into a house, but suddenly falls as the floor gives way.

Ryder: Alex! Are you okay?

Alex wipes some of the goo off his visor and groans in disgust.

Alex: I'm covered in shit, but other than that? Yeah. I'm perfect! Come on down, but just watch your footing.

The group hop down and they all see that the basement is riddled with more pods.

Del: So these pods... they're incubators. We're put in...

JD: ... And they come out. We need to find my dad. And soon!

As they continue through, they see some slime blocking the way.

Weiss: Great. Now there's door snot.

JD saws off the 'snot' and starts spitting.

JD: Ugh, I think I got some in my mouth.

Del: How's it taste?

JD: (glares) How do you think it tastes?

Del: Bad, right? 'Cause, it smells horrible.

Alex then hears thunder and looks up as it starts to rain.

Alex: Why does everything have to be so morbid and dark?

JD holds his ear as then hears a loud static-like noise.

JD: Agh! Wait, what was that?

Suddenly they hear a noise and see the Snatcher that snatched Marcus.

Natasha: There's the one that snatched Marcus!

Hanzo: After it!

The group makes their way up a path and through another house.

Kait: So we follow this Snatcher thing. Then what?

Y/N: Then we find Marcus, Reyna, Oscar, Gary, and everyone else they've snatched.

Arcturus: Yeah, okay. But what if it WANTS us to follow it?

Hanzo: Then it's gonna regret messing with us.

Suddenly they start to hear more static.

Craten: There it is again.

JD: That static must be Dad's radio! He must be close!

Y/N barges through a locked door and they see the Snatcher again.

Y/N: It's head for the tram station! Come on!

Another Juvie roars over a rooftop.

Del: Somebody shut that thing up!

Alex: (aims his Gorgon pistols) My pleasure!

Alex mows them all down and sees one crawling away.

Alex: Where do ya think you're going? Huh?!

Alex puts his pistols on his hips and stomps down on the creature's head. 

Dean: Jeez, that's a bit brutal. 

Vali: Let's get going. 

Y/N: So whose fort was this? The COG's?

Del: Well, the COG used it as a field hospital. Actual fort's from way before the COG. Seriously, like kings and wizards days.

Kait: Kings and-

Nikki: Wizards?

Del: Hey listen, I'm trying to give you some enriching historical context here.

Watcher: I never though you were into history.

Alex kicks open the door to a large church.

Alex: Hello? Ghostly Nun with a Knife? Come out, come out, wherever you are...

JD: What the hell is wrong with you?

Kait: (sees a switch of some kind) Let's see if this works...

She turns the switch and all the lamps come on within the church.

Natasha: We got some light at the church.

Daniel: (sees a Juvie) Contact!

The group then sees one of the Juvies from before and screeches at them. It then jumps down and crawls into something on the floor.

Thror: It went into a hole?

JD: What the hell?

Something large than the Juvie crawls up out of the hole in the floor and roars up at the ceiling.

Y/N: (shocked) Oh my god...

Ruby: (steps back and gulps) Uh... Y/N?

The six-foot creature then grabs a Lancer off a dead Gear and looks at the group as more start to come out of the hole.

These creatures called Drones are Juvies that have mutated inside a nest. They are tough and resistant soldiers who resemble the backbone of the Swarm's army.

Drone: DIE!!!

Alex: Well, I think this is worse than a ghost nun with a knife!

The Drones started firing their lancers at the group who ducked and went into cover. Kait tries to shoot at one but it dodges and gets into cover.

Kait: These guys are smarter.

Del: They're not smarter than us! What're you saying?

Hayner: She means they're smarter than before, dumbass!

Del: Oh. Yeah.

Tyrone and Hayner shot down two Drones with their guns. Alex shoots down the last creature and they look at the hole in the floor.

Alex: Guys. You might wanna see this...

The group step up next to Alex and follow his gaze.

Natasha: What is that?

Hanzo: It looks like some kind of nest. 

After they clear out the rest of the church, they make their way outside.

Arcturus: I'd say it's about time we got the hell out of here.

Weiss: Are we not gonna talk about what happened back there with the nest?

Del: Yeah, I mean, what the hell was that?

Kait: Looked like they were transforming.

Yang: I'm sorry, what? How could they become that big so fast?

Kait: Well some insect juveniles can become drones in days. Hours even.

Alex: Yeah, but that 'Juvenile' came back out of the nest as a 'Drone' in less than five seconds.

Ruby: So, Juvies and Drones. Juvies and Drones of what though?

Y/N: I have a feeling we're gonna find out.

They then head through a cemetery and clear out several more nests.

Del: (pants) It's over. We're clear.

JD: The new or old definition?

Yang: (breaks the chain locking the gate) Can we go now, please?

Suddenly more static comes through.

Kait: There it is again! Marcus's radio!

Y/N: So it's close! Come on!

They rush to an opening and see the Snatcher up on a roof roaring at them. It runs off just as Y/N avoids several quills embedding next to him.

They look up and see another type of creature on the Tram Station rooftop.

The Pouncer are a Swarm creature that hunted in packs. Its main hunting trait was its tail quills which it was able to release at high speeds and direct at its enemy; these quills were able to regrow very quickly. It would also use its tail to help it push off a surface to allow it to leap great distances. Whenever it was about to leap onto its prey, it would signal by emanating some sort of call.

The Pouncer jumps down onto a broken car in front of them.

Y/N: Okay, you're a big fella. Easy now...

Two more come up on the roof as the one on the car roars at them, revealing its tentacle-like tongues.

Y/N: Cover! Now!

Kait ducks as she avoids more quills. 

Kait: Watch out for the quills!

Dean uses his guns and starts firing rapidly at the Pouncer until it pops. The remaining two jump down and attack, only to get shot down and explode just like the first one by Ruby and Blake. 

Arcturus: As if Snatchers weren't bad enough. Now we have these Pouncer things to worry about?

Thror: Yeah, and the way this night's going? It's only gonna get worse...

Del then sees one more Pouncer hiding behind a run-down truck.

Del: There! One more!

Alex sees that its' not attacking, just hiding.

Alex: Wait, hold your fire.

Alex approaches the Pouncer and puts his Lancer on his back.

Kait: Alex, don't get too close.

Alex kneels down and sees that the Pouncer is differently colored than the others.

Ruby: Y/N, it's color...

Ruby: Yeah, it's different than the other Pouncers.

Alex outstretches his hand and the Pouncer backs away, fearfully. Alex then takes off his helmet, showing his face to the creature.

Alex: Hey, I'm not one of them.

The Pouncer slowly crawls towards Alex sniffs his hand, before licking it with its' many tongues. Alex snickers as he then rubs its' head.

Alex: You're not like them, are ya buddy?

The Pouncer growls, rubbing against his boot.

Alex: (looks back at the group) See, guys? He's fine.

JD: (lowers his Lancer) Alex, please tell me you're not thinking about keeping that thing?

Alex: (stands up) And why not?

Del: Why not? Why not?! Look at it, man!

Blake: Not mention his friends just attacked us several seconds ago.

Alex: He's fine. My parents always wanted to get me and my sister a dog, but they we're always too busy trying to fix the world. Plus, there weren't exactly any pet-shops nearby.

Nikki: I don't know.

Dean: I don't see why not, I can tell he's friendly unlike the rest of his kind.

Kait: So Alex, what're you gonna name him?

Alex looks at the Pouncer's tail and remembered what they attack with.

Alex: Spike.

Hanzo: 'Spike'? Are you serious?

Alex: Well, what would you name him, smartass?

Ruby: (gets between them) Hey. Not the time for this. Come on.

Alex: (whistles at him) Come on, Spike. Let's go.

The Pouncer wags its' tail and rushes forward. JD saws through more door snot.

JD: Ugh, I'm never gonna get used to that.

JD then yanks the lever to bring the tram down, only for it to crash into the station.

Kait: Tram's here.

Alex: We'll be fine so long as its' still on the tracks.

They then enter inside and go up. 

Kait: Hey Y/N, mind if we talk?

Kait: Sure. What is it?

Kait: I want to know, what do you fight for?

Y/N: Pardon?

Kait: Well where I'm from, the Outsiders are a group of independent settlers that appear to have various origins, some being former Stranded, while other members of the faction appear to be former Gears like my uncle. The COG however were fighting for the future of humanity, but like Alex said Jinn is spilling BS to the COG. I just want to know what your belief is.  

Y/N: I simply fight to protect my friends, family, and love ones. I used to be a mercenary in hired, but now I'm more of a freedom fighter of some sort.

Kait: (smiles) That's pretty heroic of you. 

Y/N: Well, I got that from my-

He was cut off when he looked past Kait and saw a familiar woman who blown him a kiss which made his eyes widen.

Y/N's thoughts: No way... What is she doing here? 

Kait: Y/N? 

Y/N: Sorry, I have to go.

Kait: What?

He didn't answered to her as he jumped off the tram and went after the woman. 

Ruby: Y/N?

Thror: The hell is he going? 

JD: (revs his Lancer) Well, why don't we follow him? 

JD cut the cable, making it crash up top.

Del: Well, that's my first and last time on a funicular.

Ruby: Ah what?

Del: 'Funicular'. What? It's a word.

JD: Let's just find the Snatcher.

Spike then sniffs the air and runs off.

Alex: Spike! Come back! (runs after the Pouncer)

Blake: Alex! Where are you going?!

The group follows Alex and Spike. Spike leads them through a museum, barracks, and finally to a large open area. Spike roars them over to where he was.

Alex: (pants and kneels down) Spike. Don't run off like-

Alex then sees a Snatcher heading into a tunnel down below.

Alex: Good boy, Spike! (scratching Spike's head) Atta boy! Still think me keeping him is stupid?

Yang: Yeah, how do we know he ain't leading us into a trap?

Alex: Woman, you just refuse to believe he's an awesome dog.

After they clear out the Swarm down below guarding the tunnel, they then approach the entrance.

Arcturus: We definitely found where they're coming from.

Kait: And where those Snatchers are going. So, who's going in first?

Hanzo: You're asking this now?

Del: Hey, JD, Alex, I'll Rock, Paper, Scissors you guys for it.

JD: (scoffs) Seriously? You're terrible at Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Del: Uh, how can someone be terrible at Rock, Paper Scissors?

Alex: How 'bout the fact that you always pick Paper?

Del: (cocks a brow) Do I?

JD: (shrugs) Let's do it.

JD, Alex, and Del all say 'one, two, three' and reveal their hands, Alex and JD having Scissors and Del having Paper.

Del: Damnit...

Alex: (gestures to the tunnel) After you, Paper-boy.

The men then enter the tunnel and sees the group already there.

Kait: Glad you guys didn't go best of three.

They were about to enter when they've noticed Team DVANT had shocked expressions.

Thror: What the matting with- (notices what they're looking at) Oh, my, god.

Nikki: This was not what I was expecting.

Mimir: What are you talking about? Care to show me? (Týra shows him) Oh. You're right. The last thing I expected to see was a baby Faunus. Especially a baby dragon Faunus.

True to his words, everyone was looking at was a female baby dragon Faunus. They had black horns, short emerald green hair, dark skin, green eyes, and even if they can't see it, a dark green tail with wings. She just looks up at them and smiles and giggles. What was also interesting about them, was the fact that they had gold energy flaring off the sides of their eyes.

Chapter 8 ended. 

Sorry for the long delay, folks. Now, we're gonna see a fight with Y/N and Mistral of Desperado. Question is, who will join the fight and the fight and help him?

Let me know at the comments below, peace out!