It was starting to rain. But they didn't mind. They had a job to do, and they were going to get it done.
Fang and Lightning were hunting for their group. Since they were stuck here on Pulse, they decided to make camp for awhile. To figure out what to do next. And since they planned on staying for a few days, food was at the top of their priority list.
They also decided to send Fang and Lightning alone. Everyone there needed their rest; but those two were more accustomed to roughing it. Lightning had been in the Gaurdian Corps Bodhum Security Regiment for several years and was used to the militarist style; Fang often had to fend for herself when spending time in the wild when she lived on Gran Pulse long before.
They had people to feed. So there they were, on their bellies in the grass of the Archylte Steppe, beginning to feel the dampness through their clothes, silently stalking a giant Behemoth King about twenty yards away.
The conditions were ideal. They were downwind, and the rain covered up whatever scent made its may to their mark. The beast was at the pond, drinking, and maybe thinking about finding some food for itself by the looks of it. Fang and Lightning shot each other a glance. Wordlessly, they let themselves know that this was the perfect moment to strike; they could sneak up on it easily. Fang's hair was sticking to her face and Lightning's clothes were clinging to her body in a similar way. You know what they say: the best work their hardest when their conditions are at their worst.
Almost simultaneously, Fang and Lightning rose to a crouch, weapons in hand. Slowly, they began to make their way towards the predator-turned-prey. As they approached, the monster showed no sign of a reaction. They kept up their steady pace, sure of their success as they drew closer and closer.
Then, without warning, the Behemoth looked up towards the sky. Showing fear that was unusual for its species, it turned, completely ignored the hunters, and fled.
Lightning started to chase the beast, turning on her heel and taking off, but stopped when she realized that Fang wasn't doing the same. She turned back again, to see Fang crouched low on the ground, looking into the air.
"Wha-" Lightning began, but didn't finish her thought after she saw what Fang and the Behemoth had seen.
In the sky, coming closer, was what looked to be a winged Cie'th... like a Nelapsi, or a large Penanggalan. Realizing that they were probably in danger, Fang and Lightning got ready for a fight. Fang changed her role to a Saboteur, and Lightning stood her ground as a Commando. As the figure got closer, they realized that they had been right about the size, and maybe the shape as well. But this thing was different than anything they had ever seen.
The object zoomed toward the ground and came to land about sixty yards away from them in the open plain of the Steppe, They still couldn't quite make out what it was. Ignoring the rain and advancing in a semi-cautious jog, they made their was toward the phenomenon. They had made it about halfway across the distance between them when they saw something they didn't quite expect; a person in full-body armor stepping off of the object. Then the figure held out their hand, and their mount transformed into what looked like a giant key in the figure's grasp.
Fang and Lightning slowed, unsure of what to think about what they were seeing. But before they had much time to ponder over it, the character noticed them with a snap of his/her attention. Without hesitation, the figure started after them in a full-blown sprint, key wielded like a weapon. Fang and Lightning regained their composure, and waited for the person to approach, weapons at the ready.
The figure grew closer and closer, and with every step Fang and Lightning grew more and more anxious for a fight. But just as the person was almost in fighting range, it jumped, clearing both Fang and Lightning with ease. The pair turned, surprised. But the figure wasn't attacking them from behind. It brought it's weapon down on a small, blue monster unlike anything that either of them had seen before. The monster seemed to evaporate at the touch of the blade.
The figure - which now that it was closer, they could see was feminine - turned, unwavering, to face Fang and Lightning. Then the armor disappeared, revealing a beautiful, blue-haired girl. She began to speak, unhindered by the rain.
"You should really learn to watch your back," she said, releasing the odd-shaped blade in her hand. It disappeared.
Thinking of nothing else to say in reply, Fang simply put her free hand on her hip and said, with an inquisitive look on her face, "Who are you?" Lightning stood and waited for her reply.
"I'm Aqua," she said, with a quick smile, "You?"
"Fang," Fang said, her accent thick in her voice.
"Lightning," Lightning said, with a touch of hesitance and maybe contempt.
"Well Fang, Lightning," Aqua said, gesturing to them both in turn... but she didn't get the chance to finish her thought. Fang swung her lance back to an aggressive stance, and Lightning did the same. At first Aqua thought they were challenging her, but then she heard the monstrous growl coming from behind her.
Summoning her Keyblade, Aqua spun around to face whatever was approaching her.
Apparently the Behemoth that Fang and Lightning had been hunting came back once it realized that there was no danger. And now it was angry.
"Go!" Fang said, and at once all three girls leaped into action. Fang began battering the beast with Deprotect and Deshell, attempting to lower it's resistance. As soon as she saw they were successful, Fang switched to Commando and assisted Lightning with attacking it head-on. At first, Aqua wasn't sure what to do. She just stared calculatingly at the Behemoth's mostly-blue hide, large teeth, metallic spikes, and odd, flowing horns. But then it charged at her and snapped her out of her trance.
She jumped to the side and out of the way. Then she aimed her Keyblade at it's back and used her focus. She aimed her Shotlock directly at the Behemoth King, letting it charge as the beast flailed while trying to attack both Fang and Lightning at once. It charged to the max, and Aqua let it loose. She felt the ice build around her as the Absolute Zero attack caused her to rush toward her target. Shards of ice erupted from the ground, and the Behemoth yelped in pain. The attack ended, and Aqua landed next to Lightning.
For a moment, Fang stared at what had happened with her mouth open, unable to fathom what Aqua just did. When she brought her attention back to the Behemoth, she saw that it was getting weak. Lightning did too.
"Here it comes... get ready," Lightning said to the other two. Fang nodded. Aqua looked at her, confused. But she wasn't confused for long.
The Behemoth King flashed in an odd light. Then it stood up on it's hind legs, drawing a sword as long as it's enormous torso. Aqua looked at the horrific creature with a determined stare. It was terrifying. But she wasn't scared. And neither were Fang or Lightning.
The two of them advanced on the monster with practiced perfection, Aqua following their lead. Again changing to a Saboteur, Fang attacked the monster with repeated uses of Deprotect and Deshell. Aqua started by using Thunder attacks, but when she realized she was only healing it, she switched to Fire and Blizzard (after also finding out that it was immune to Aero).
Drawing up, the Behemoth appeared to be charging up for something. Not knowing what to expect, Aqua simply kept battering it with spells. Quick as a whip, Lightning switched out for Medic when she saw what was happening.
"Brace yourself!" Lightning yelled, mostly to Aqua, since Fang already knew what to expect. As if on cue, the beast released his attack with a monstrous roar. Thundaga rained from the sky, shocking all of the girls so that they could barely stand up. Recovering as fast as she could, Lightning cast Cura to help get the trio back on their feet.
Feeling slightly rejuvenated, Fang switched back to Commando and began using Ruin from a distance, still feeling weaker than she would have liked and now wary of the raging beast. Aqua was equally cautious, and used simple spells to keep up her strength. But Lightning was able to quickly heal all of them - occasionally being set back by more of the Behemoth's antics. When everyone seemed suitably healed, she changed to a Ravager to try and knock the Behemoth King off of his feet. She spammed it with Flamestrike and Froststrike until - with the combination of the three's attacks - the beast was staggered.
"Give it everything you've got! This brute is ours!" Fang yelled, laughing, to her partners. All three of them (Lightning back as a Commando) hacked and slashed the Behemoth to pieces, knocking it into the air and slamming it down into the ground. In moments the beast was dead.
Gasping for breath and laughing in celebration of their victory, Fang sat down on the ground.
Lighting turned to Aqua. "So... I see you're a Ravager," she said, "and a skilled one at that."
"Um... Ravager?" Aqua said, her head cocked slightly to the side.
"Magick user." Lightning said, blatantly.
"Oh," Aqua said, "Well, thanks I suppose."
Fang stood up. "Yeah, that ice charge... I've never seen anything like it."
Aqua was starting to get embarrassed. So she changed the topic. "What were you guys doing out here?"
Fang was about to answer, but Lightning interrupted and said, "I was about to ask you the exact same question. And what the hell were those things we were almost attacked by?" she paused, "Neither of us had ever seen anything like them." Fang propped herself up on her arms behind her and looked at Aqua, waiting for an answer.
Aqua nodded, understanding how odd it would be for a stranger to show up like she did, and how strange the Unversed would seem from another's perspective who had never seen them before.
"To answer your first question," she started twirling her Keyblade in her hand, "I'm here looking for someone. I felt the presence of darkness here," she looked off into the distance, "and I stopped to look."
"The creatures you saw are called the Unversed." She was going to stop there, but she continued when she saw the confused looks on the others' faces. "I'm not yet exactly sure where they come from. All I know is that they need to be stopped. And that's why I'm here. I'm looking for the person who may or may not be controlling them."
Both Fang and Lightning took a moment to take in what they heard. Then Fang spoke up. "Well, I haven't seen anyone else strange here. Lightning?"
"The same."
"So I suppose there's not much we can do to help you," Fang said,standing up. The three of them stood there for a moment in silence. Then they remembered the Behemoth.
"But I suppose you could help us get some of this back to camp," Lightning said, "the rest of our group is surely getting hungry by now."
Aqua nodded and smiled."I'll be glad to help," she said, "and besides, maybe one of them knows something."
"There's only one way to find out," Fang stated. Together, the trio began to gather up what could be salvaged from the beast, and took off towards Base Camp. Fang and Lightning were concentrating fully on carrying their significant loads. But all Aqua could think about were her friends. And the mission that was both bringing them together and pushing them apart.
I won't let you down.