The city of Vale was drowned in a cold breeze as the clouds rolled overhead. The streets glistened with the dim blue mixture of rainwater and streetlights, their luminescence together casting an eerie glow on the roads. The normally crowded footpaths gave way to the distinct individuals making their way towards the nearest dust store, the news telling the tales of their recent robberies to the public caused them to go unnoticed to many, as those who would normally enjoy the night life now avoid the chance to run into the recent arrivals to the streets. And Due to the police departments' lack of numbers, the criminals were free to roam almost unopposed in the night, led by their particularly fashionable leader.

"Alright you idiots, get in there and do what we're paying you for."

Roman Torchwick. Criminal mastermind, sly, ruthless and all round bad guy. Not exactly the kind of man you'd want to meet in a dark alley, recently infamous for his work leading the attacks on the dust stores in the past weeks, and as quick minded as he is quick witted. His white coat and blazing orange hair doing nothing to help his already conspicuous figure, although the thief always preferred fashion over subtlety. Torchwick gave a push to one of the goons lagging behind the main group entering the store before eyeing the path he took, swearing to himself that he heard something hit the ground nearby. Shrugging the paranoia off, he regained his posh composure and followed the rest of the criminals inside. Unbeknownst to the classy thief, a mere building corner away a hidden pair of grey eyes watched his every move.

As the figure casually strolled towards the store, his silver pauldrons shining in the moonlight, he quietly spoke seemingly to himself, "You know, he really needs to stop hiring those morons…"

Suddenly, the hooded man cringed as a blast of static exploded in his ear.

"For the love of…Scylla, I can hear you fine! You don't have to yell."

"Sorry, you know I'm still getting used to this!" A girls voice replied in a much softer tone than the previously ear blasting noise.

The figure continued before making his way towards the criminals, the light patter of footsteps echoing in the dark and the puddles rippling with each movement. The man stopped just outside the main door, looking upon two of the suited lackeys guarding the entrance to the building. The light finally shone on his shadowed body revealing a forest green robe reaching to the waist, with spotless platinum armour covering his shoulders and arms. The robe parted at his sides, with only two long strips reaching his lower legs at the back, and the gleaming armour containing spiralling glyphs filling the blank spaces. The two henchmen watched in confusion and the figure wandered towards them, arms behind his back in a nonchalant manner.

"Get lost buddy, private business transaction." One of the guards finally said in a gruff, aggravated tone. The other guard beside him brought out a blood red cleaver in a vain attempt to increase their threat level. The hooded man opposite them slowly began to walk forward, holding a finger to his ear as he went.

"So, what're you betting on?" He asked to the girl on the other end of the device, to which he smiled at her reply.

"Six seconds, and one hit." She cheerfully said after a second of thought. As they talked the two guards slowly approached the man.

"I'll do it in three, no hits easy. You doubt me too much."

He pulled a small metallic cylinder the size of his forearm from the inside of his robe, which swiftly extended into a long staff, a sharp, serrated blade protruding from the bottom end, and a barrel with a trigger at the other. A small compartment unlocked at the flip of a switch, and while the two guards prepared themselves, the man placed a string of small cartridges inside the opening, and held up a finger to the two henchmen who stopped in their tracks, increasingly aggravated at the display of stalling performed in front of them.

"Hang on guys, don't want to get any cuts now do we?" He said slyly as the blade extending from the staff retreated back inside its compartment. The two criminals growled as they stepped forward, and the girl on the communicator began a countdown.

"Three…." The three men raised their weapons.

"Two…" The hooded figure stepped forward, leaving only the quiet of footsteps and light rainfall in the streets.

"One…." One of the guards began to charge, cleaver raised above his head. The staff wielder quickly changed his stance so he was low to the ground, legs spread wide apart. As the makeshift bouncer began to strike down his weapon, the defender spun his staff in a wide circle, clipping the guards' feet and planting him on the ground. With a smooth motion, the staff wielder grabbed his attacker by the hair, and with weapon in his off hand, knocked him out cold.

"Why you sneaky little~!" The second attacker exclaimed, alarmed at how easily his partner was taken out. Looking down and reaching into his pocket, he pulled a pistol from inside and aimed at seemingly nothing. The henchman then jumped as the other figure popped up from behind him, leaning forward.

"Here's a tip, get your gun before the fight starts." And with that the hooded figure poked the man in the side with the staff, and pulled the trigger. The man jolted and pulsed with electricity before collapsing on the wet pavement, a small trickle of smoke rising from his unconscious form to which the victor batted away while reaching for his ear.

"How was that?"

"Eight seconds, should've kept your mouth shut." The woman on the other end replied, a triumphant tone in her voice.

"Hey I just warned him so I could have some challenge next time! Besides, no hits, I should at least get some points fo-oomf….!"

The victors' chat was cut short when a body flung itself directly into him, muffled music ringing in his ears as he struggled regain his composure. His vision blurred as he saw a small girl, clad in red and black. The robed man left his mouth agape at the sight of the weapon she carried with her, spinning it with ease and planting it into the road.

"Hey I love that song…." He grunted as he picked himself up off the wet ground, almost falling over wincing as the more static buzzed in his ear once again.

"What was that?" The female voice cried, desperately trying to hear something from her partner.

"Damnit don't call me while I'm -Ugh!" He grunted again as a pole jabbed him in the back and pinned him down, turning his head he turned to see literal white collar criminal looking down at him.

"YOU again? Didn't you learn your lesson last time?" Torchwick blurted out in a slightly shocked tone, surprised to see the figure that had been attempting to hunt him down back in action so soon. Looking up from his pinned foe, he looked up at the girl who had just made a mess of several of his henchmen. Furrowing his brow, he took the cigar he had been smoking out of his mouth and looked towards the remaining forces at his disposal.

"Well? Get her!"

His men began to charge at the girl in red, who one by one, were thrown to the ground due to her far superior speed and skill. Even the staff wielder stood, or rather, lay in awe at her effortless spinning and fighting style that left the remainder of the criminals on the cold pavement in seconds. The flame haired leader sighed and began to flip his cane, and smacked the robed man in the face, causing him to groan in pain, Torchwick then shifted his focus to the scythe wielding student.

"Well Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening." He said dryly as he dropped the still lit cigar from his hand and flattened it with his cane. Which was pointed at the girl, revealing a barrel and crosshair.

"…And as much as I'd like to stick around, I'm afraid this is where we part ways." He fired an explosive shot of blinding orange flame, where the robed man on the ground lifted his head to see the girl in the red hood struck, or so he thought. Noticing Torchwick making a climb for a nearby rooftop, he swiftly clambered up and charged after him, with the girl in red in pursuit behind them both. As the criminal made his way towards the edge of the rooftop, holding the black bowler hat safely atop his head, the red fighter made it to his position in what felt like the blink of an eye, the green hunter still hastily making his way up the ladder with his mouth agape.

"Man…I gotta learn to do that." He said between breaths, his robe fluttering as the winds began to pick up around him.

"Do what? Tell me what's happening!" The voice on the other end of his device spoke, to which the man responded by clicking the mute button. Making his way up the final steps to the roof, he panted before regaining his composure, steadying himself as the winds increased.

"Ugh, always so bossy."

He looked on as the criminal he was hunting made his way inside an airship, the blaring noise of the engines ringing in his ears.

How the hell did I not hear that before?

Shaking off his train of thought, the robed man ran towards his red saviour as Torchwick fired another shot. The direct hit creating a gust of dust around the building, he stood mouth agape as it was blocked by another woman. A true huntress. Using what seemed to be a riding crop, she created a shield of purple magic to protect from the blast. A small, stylish cape moved slightly in the aftermath, and her proper stance seemingly unmoved by the attack. The two women began to attack the aircraft as it left, failing to shoot it down. Shaking his head, the hooded figure ran towards the fighters before the airship finally propelled itself away, his target safe.

"Damn it, you can't just let him get away!" He exclaimed to the two women before him. The small girl in red looked at him with curious silver eyes as he paced back and forth, eyes planted on the airship slowly fading into the dark. The other, much older woman turned to him, wide eyed as she pointed her weapon at the man.

"You're…." She began, at a loss for words once again leaving an awkward silence in the air. The huntress slowly began to change her expression from shock to anger, leaving the other figure in front of her to take a step back.

"Oh crap…Uh…Look, no hard feelings! I'll get him next time! Heheh…." The man stammered, his eyes shifting back and forth between the two. Before the woman could say anything else, he ran. Collapsing his weapon as he bolted across the rooftop. Eyeing a lower building he projected his aura, allowing him to safely land onto the lower rooftops with a lime green glow surrounding him, a dim beacon in the night. As he blended into the shadows of the alleyways once more the blonde huntress sighed before turning to the girl in red, who was gazing up at her with wide eyes.

"You're a huntress….Can I have your autograph!?"

Torchwick sighed deeply as he lay back in the pilots' seat of the airship, holding the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

"That fool still giving you trouble?" Cooed a voice from the woman standing beside him, her sultry movements made the criminal ever so slightly uncomfortable when he saw the person said movements belonged to. He turned his head slowly towards the amber eyed maiden, a small smile creeping on his lips as he replied.

"He's more of a nuisance than anything, he hasn't even come close to stopping us. He'll give up sooner or later."

Torchwick had a short but impactful history with the man in question, making several attempts to stop his dust-stealing escapades, the green robed man only ever managed to dispose of the henchmen he would bring with him, and never Torchwick himself. The two would always meet in a standoff that resulted in the so called 'hero' almost always defeated in seconds, Torchwicks' skill in fighting surpassing his opponent by far.

"Well don't get cocky my pawn, you never know when he might get the upper hand." The woman's ash coloured hair touched his shoulders as she brushed a hand against his cheek, causing the criminal to shudder in his seat before taking a reclining in the chair next to him. The airship became a small speck in the night sky as it gained altitude, as it did so the woman crossed her legs and folded her arms, attitude changing completely as she continued.

"What happened to the haul?" She said flatly, eyes directly forward. Her newly sharp tone of voice made Torchwick slightly more wary.

"Some kid got the jump on us, damn scythe user. You know those damn buffoons you hired are useless, I don't know why we still work with them."

"Well don't screw it up next time, I'll be sure to get some more capable buffoons to follow you." The woman replied, a sly grin creeping up on the corners of her mouth.

"Good. Next time that damn vigilante gets in my way he's dead."