There were advantages to having a fashion conscious leader. Velvet Scarlatina's smile was a shy thing, but in response to the way that Coco was flaunting herself she couldn't keep the corners of her lips from quirking upwards. The faunus woman pulled her camera out of her pack and snapped a quick photo as Coco lay stretched out on the deck chair.
Coco heard the shutter snap and rolled her head to the side in a languid fashion. Slender fingers reached up to casually lower her sunglasses down her nose and she eyed Velvet with dark brown eyes full of warmth.
"I'm not a weapon, Velvet."
Velvet felt her cheeks warm at both the comment and the gaze regarding her. It wasn't like Coco hadn't already seen everything there was to see, but in such a public location, wearing what she was… She squirmed a bit in embarrassment.
She had been reluctant when Coco suggested shopping together for swimwear. Coco had both a gorgeous body and a bold sense of fashion. There was no way that she would allow Velvet to pick a plain, simple over the shoulder one-piece. Fortunately Coco had shown some restraint. She had consented to Velvet getting a one piece, though it did have a number of strategic cutouts revealing more ab, hip, and solar plexus than Velvet would have prefered.
Of course, Coco had never been nearly as self-conscious as Velvet. The powerful woman was showing large amounts of ivory skin, shielding only the strategic bits with a low cut bikini top and lopsided bikini skirt bottom. Sheltered from the sun by a beach umbrella Coco was practically a poster perfect example of the beach going party girl. Velvet glanced down at the device in her hand.
"It's not just a weapon," Velvet mumbled. "It also works as a real camera."
Coco snickered. "If you want to do a photoshoot, you know you just have to ask." She slipped her sunglass back up over her eyes and turned her head back into her previously relaxed position. "We could even do a boudoir shoot some time."
Velvet bit back a shocked squeak as she felt her already present blush spread. She quickly pushed her camera back into her bag and sat back, trying very hard to blank out the images that Coco had just put in her head. She cleared her throat, not certain she quite trusted her voice first, then tried to sound professional.
"Are you sure we're dressed right for this, Coco?"
"The captain didn't want to alarm any of the passengers. Besides, it's not like we actually need any of the armor in our usual outfits. Relax, girl. Take in some rays. You look good!"
Velvet tried to keep the happiness from her face as she heard Coco's compliment. If Coco actually knew how much comments like that affected her she'd never be allowed to pick her own clothing again.
"At least the boys are having fun," she muttered.
Yatsuhashi's massive form was lounging further towards the bow of the ship making the passage to Anima. Washboard abs peaked out of the top of his cargo shorts, a loose shirt unbuttoned and waving in the breeze rolling over the deck.
Fox hadn't bothered with the shirt, exposing a torso made to launch explosive jabs and punches. A casual gesture caused muscles to ripple along one arm in an almost serpentine display of fluid motion.
She'd already seen one female passenger nearly fall on her backside slipping in the drool those two were generating. Neither of them were acting like they had noticed, but in the past two years she'd come to know them well enough to have no doubts they were quietly enjoying the attention. Yatsu slowly stretched enough to cause at least three of the women lounging on the deck to give up even pretending to not stare.
She could almost see the wicked laughter in Yatsu's eyes.
"Velvet."
Coco hadn't changed her body posture in the slightest, yet Coco could feel how CFVY's leader had suddenly tensed for action. Slowly, she turned her head away, catching the curious ripple in the water beside the ship that disrupted the normal almost-pattern of the rolling waves. She gave a gentle nod and her hand slipped down to her bag to find the handle of the case hidden within.
Fox and Yatsu had moved away from the capstan they had been lounging on to lean over the rail in a way that would seem idle to anyone not trained to be a hunter. Beside Velvet, Coco gave a small grunt of satisfaction. "Nice and easy," she muttered to no one in particular.
Velvet watched as those strange disruptions of the water's surface continued. As long as nothing further happened, CFVY wouldn't do anything further as well. The captain had given them free passage under the condition that they only defended against attacks and didn't provoke any.
No provocation was necessary. A sudden spout of water exploded into the sky, and the sea-serpent like grimm that had caused it darted inward towards the ship. Before it could connect, however, Fox had landed a pair of bare-handed punches on it's enormous snout, causing the grimm to fall back into the water with an enormous splash.
Velvet jerked her case free of the bag that had been concealing it and leapt upward. She arched backwards, landing on the top of the deckhouse in a crouch, poised and ready.
Coco was already peppering the surface of the ocean with bullets, her cool composure and solid stance exuding confidence. Velvet's eyes lingered on the woman two storied below for a moment, before she jerked them free to examine the situation.
Yatsu had snatched his sword out of its hiding place behind some pipes in the same moment she had been flying upwards and was now standing on the deck staring out at the water. Fox, after knocking the serpent down, had immediately gone for his gauntlets, similarly stowed, and even now was finishing up with donning them. The deck had cleared of panicked passengers quickly, and all that was left were a few crewmen preparing small cannon for action. Even Coco had paused in her firing, scanning the waters for the next attack.
The grimm blasted upwards again, with a horrific roar. Coco's gun began blazing away, whipped towards the target by the fashionista's shocking strength. Nothing was able to connect, however, as the grimm had whipped itself into motion to quickly for her to lay the rotary gun on target. The ship rocked as the beast slammed the side of its head against the hull, and Velvet almost lost her footing.
This time it was Yatsuhashi's turn to drive the monster back. Leaning over the rail he struck it square in the middle of the head with his sword. The blade rung as though it had struck an anvil without Velvet seeing any obvious sign of injury resulting. The force was sufficient, however, to force the grimm under again.
Coco cursed and leaned over the rail to spray the water with bullets again.
The sea rolled gently and the ship's erratic bobbing began to settle. For a short bit all was quiet and stillness, and then the ship lurched once more. This time the grimm had struck from below, smashing upwards into the keel without warning. Velvet found herself flying upwards, then hurtling down towards the deck before she had time to see what had happened to anyone else.
Smirking, she turned her descent into a graceful backflip, then performed a three point landing right in front of the bridge. The sea dragon's head rose up beside her, a giant eye staring balefully in towards the bridge crew. Without a thought, Velvet leapt upward and seized a cable running from above the bridge toward the crane on deck, then pivoted to smash both feet into the dinner plate sized orb.
With a giant howl of anger and rage the grimm jerked backwards, a giant scaled eyelid blinking furiously. Velvet gave a shout of glee, then flipped herself into the air. She performed a double twist for the fun of it, then landed on the deck once more.
The moment she felt her footing to be secure, she found herself trying to find Coco.
Did she see me?
Coco, however, was busy. Though Velvet had driven the monster back, it had not dove beneath the waves this time. Coco was whipping her weapon about furiously, chasing the dragon as it waggled its head left and right. Nothing was landing though, no matter how fast she moved, and CFVY's team leader was swearing up a storm.
"VELVET! I can't keep up! Use it!"
Velvet grinned, and rose to her full 5'8" (minus the ears). She sashayed across the deck, smiling.
As she walked past Coco she felt a stinging swat land on her barely covered backside. She squeaked in surprise at the skin on skin contact.
"Give it hell, Velv."
The surprised mou on her mouth shifted to a cocky grin, and she stepped up to the rail. Strapping her case to her waist, she crossed her arms and activated her weapon.
The combination of powerful leg muscles and a hard light copy of Yang's Ember Celica launched her high into the air. She soared outward, a couple of quick, angled punches changing her direction so that she could position herself right where she wanted to be. The beast's head was right before her.
A quick tuck, and Ember Celica had been replaced by Gambol Shroud. She whipped the bladed end of it outward then gave the ribbon a jerk, whipping it about to spin around the sea serpent's neck twice before anchoring in the wedge between two scales. With a second jerk, she flew towards the beast, landing against its neck long enough to kick herself back away. The end of her airborn arc landed her beside a capstan on deck. With a burst of speed she ran around it twice, wrapping the ribbon as though it was an anchor chain.
"Yatsu!"
The giant warrior's head whipped towards her as she began running his way. With a fast nod he began swinging his sword, the flat of the blade leading rather than the edge. When Velvet jumped into the air the flat found her feet. Between Yatsu's own strength and the power of her legs, she rocketed away from the ship, the ribbon towed behind her, raising smoke from the capstan it was looped about.
The grimm's head slammed into the deck, and held fast, captured by the noose of Velvet's imitation Gambol Shroud. The end of the ribbon jerked taught, yanking itself out of Velvet's hand, and the faunus girl went into an uncontrollable spin headed out to sea.
She woke to the feel of something soft, warm, and very insistent on her lips. Something was forcing its way into her mouth, past her tongue and into her chest. Then, a sudden, painful blow smashed into her chest hard enough for her to see stars.
"Breath, dammit! Don't you dare quit on me, Velvet!"
Lips pressed against hers again, blowing breath into her as a slender but strong hand landed on her freshly bruised breast.
Before she could protest, a spasm wracked her and she explosively propelled inhaled water all over Coco's bikini.
"Velvet!"
She tried to move and say something, but found herself completely lost to the racking cough expelling the water out of her lungs. She forced one eye open to see the concerned faces of Fox and Yatsu staring down at her before she was suddenly smothered against Coco's water-drenched chest.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Coco shouted. "If you wanted a kiss that bad, you should have asked!"
Weakly, Velvet wrapped her arms around Coco's waist. "Worth it," she rasped.
Coco laughed, then gave Velvet a quick peck on the cheek. "Seriously, don't do that again. I care about you more than you know."
Velvet smiled. "I may have some idea." She snuggled in and got comfortable. "I have several ideas."
Coco grinned. "Don't forget to bring the camera."
Velvet felt her cheeks begin to flush, but couldn't help laughing.
"Alright."