Ozpin
The two students he had sent for both walked into his office combat ready. Mr. Corax, as he was now known, wore a heavier, more plated version of the armor he wore in his duel. Ms. Nikos carried her standard armor and weaponry, as it was undamaged in the duel against the boy standing next to her. Mr. Corax carried another weapon, a long polearm with a retracting scythe. It was sharp and deadly. One part scythe, one part greatsword, one part club, it was not a weapon to be taken lightly. He had incredibly reach with it, as it was about 7 or 8 ft long. On his arm was some kind of shield for deflection. It was shaped like a large bug, and Ozpin thought his eyes were deceiving him when he saw it shift on it's own. First, he faced Pyrrha.
"I called you here because you are the best, most adaptable warrior Beacon can currently offer. You have proven yourself to be better in combat than many of your upperclassmen when it comes to single combat. And I need your help. This is where you come in, Mr. Corax."
His eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Another omega grimm has been spotted in the forest, and we need you, Ms. Nikos, Professor Goodwitch, and Mr. Branwen. You four the best I could get on such short notice. Mr. Branwen will be staying farther back unless absolutely necessary due to safety reasons."
"I need you to tell me exactly what properties this has."
"It was spotted in the Emerald Forest by Professor Port after your lecture."
He tossed the only picture Port had managed to take onto the table. Mr. Corax immediately picked it up and studied it with great interest. It was pretty blurry, as Port was vastly outmatched and was running for his life. From the picture, one could make out a huge, lumpy, upper body and two large legs, but that was about it.
"What did it do?"
"Hm?"
The question caught Ozpin off guard.
"What was it doing? What were its behaviors?"
"From Professor Port's report, it was incredibly aggressive. The area he found it in was partially singed."
"Who is left outside?"
His string of questions were direct and businesslike. This was something he was taking very seriously, which was both refreshing and terrifying.
"Some of the teachers are patrolling for remaining students, and a small group of fourth-years are out there scouting out the area. They are under direct orders to avoid the creature, but they might be able to get more information on it as we move in."
At the mention of the students and teachers being out, Cecil's eyes widened in terror.
"Get them out. All of them."
"They are pretty skilled, they should be alright -"
"If you do not get them out of the forest now, they will die. All of them. They cannot possibly be prepared to deal with a deviljho. It will eat them all for breakfast. The team you are sending me with better be damn good and willing to die, because a deviljho is not something to be taken lightly."
The normally uninterested Cecil was now deadly serious. Ozpin immediately sent out a full recall.
"If they get spotted by it, they have to run and pray that it gets tired of running through trees. Avoid open spaces. They can't hide from it, and whatever they do, DO NOT TOUCH IT'S SALIVA."
Ozpin nodded and sent out these additional instructions.
"Ms. Nikos, you are not required to take on this mission. You will be facing an incredibly dangerous grimm. You have never faced something this powerful. Retreating is not failure, it is survival. Mr. Corax, you are also not required to go, but know that having you there will greatly help."
Both students responded, Pyrrha speaking first.
"I will go, Professor. I will be safe above all."
"If I don't go, you are all screwed. I'm goin."
With both of their conformation, their other two partners walked in, in the middle of a heated argument.
"I don't understand why you don't aid us directly."
"Ozpin known why, and it's my choice. I'll jump in if you really need me."
They both turned to face Ozpin and answered the unasked question resting in the air.
"All of the students and teachers have been sent inside, safe and sound. One student may be slightly traumatized, as he saw the omega grimm consume an ursa whole. Not a pretty sight."
Ozpin sighed, but he would deal with it later.
"Mr. Corax, please give us a rundown on what we are up against."
He stepped forward, as if giving a lecture.
"We are going up against a deviljho, if these pictures and accounts are correct. I was initially uncertain, but after the description of it eating a while ursa, I have no doubt that that is what we are dealing with. Deviljhos are big, ugly, and ravenous. They seek to consume anything and everything in their path, including the students inside these walls. It's back is the most heavily armored, so focus on it's feet, belly, and face. If it becomes enraged, you will know. It is faster, stronger, and more aggressive when it's mad. When enraged, focus on its belly, as its mouth is too dangerous. I have traps that I will set up around the forest. If you have any electric dust or weaponry, use it. Killing a deviljho takes hours, be patient. Focus on staying away from its mouth unless you are certain it can't get to you. It lacks range, so don't be afraid to get some distance while someone else draws its aggression. However, you need a lot of distance, as it can spew out a toxic breath if you aren't far enough away. Its most dangerous part is it's weight and mouth. It's saliva is highly corrosive acid, and its jaws can crush a metal ship with ease. Stay near its feet and avoid getting stepped on. It will frequently spin if you are too close to its tail, so get low if you are behind it. Our number one goal here is to stay alive. Support each other, stay either really far away or right under its legs."
His tone was calm and sharp, and it was very clear he had done this before.
"Branwen, I want you on support with this bowgun if you can't get close. Nikos, you and Goodwitch are going to trade agro. One of you dances around and distracts it from the other person and myself attack. I'll handle the legs, and whoever is not drawing its ire is going to go for its throat. Get ready, we leave for the forest in five minutes. Branwen, I'll grab the gun and ammo. It's not in perfect shape, but it should do the trick."
Every step, every word, every movement from Cecil was smooth and prepared. As he strode out of the room with confidence, Ozpin turned to see his fellow teacher's faces resting in pure bewilderment. They all shuffled out to the forest while Ozpin worked to calm and control the situation.
Cecil
A deviljho. Of course. Cecil stepped into his room and picked up his gunners pouch, full of rounds, and La Foi. It was still not shining as bright as he would have liked it, but it wouldn't be a health hazard to carry. Cecil set down and then picked up his signature weapon, the insect glaive known as the Evening Calm. He donned his heavier, but stronger armor made of gore magala parts. Tougher and thicker, he would be able to take far more hits from the deviljho and get some natural resistance to its corrosive saliva. The cape he wore had his full symbol stitched onto the back - six, purple, eyes arranged in an oval shape with a diamond at the bottom rather than the more simple circle with three arrows. The circle was his father's but it was time to use his own. Finally, he picked up his hunting pack which contained plenty of food, water, filters, a bit of tea, flint and steel, potions, and the drugs and syringes he hoped he would never need. With the glaive on his back, Hank on his arm, La Foi in his hand, and his helmet in his other, he stepped into the hallway where he was immediately accosted by both team RWBY and the remnants of team JNPR.
"What is going on?!"
As Jaune shouted directly into his face, Blake chimed up with a hint of worry in her voice.
"Cecil. What is going on? Where is Pyrrha?"
He didn't have time to explain the entire situation, and explaining part of it would only worry them more.
"She is safe. Ozpin needs me to do something, but I can't tell you what it is. I'll tell you all about it when I get back though, ok?"
He tried his best not to let his worry leak through his voice. Deviljhos took a fully coordinated team to even attempt to take one down, and this was not going to be a standard deviljho. The grimm he had fought were tougher, more aggressive, and had little to no idea of self preservation. If it was anywhere as tough as an adult deviljho, Cecil already knew the three going with him would not be prepared. They were used to fights taking a few hours at most. Hunting something like a rajang or deviljho could take days with a full team. It was safer to run a split team, where two would attack while the other two rested. After twelve hours, they would switch. It was slower, but safer. Cecil had the feeling that this thing wouldn't offer them the courtesy.
"Be safe."
Surprisingly, it was Nora who expressed solemn concern.
"If you don't bring Pyrrha back⦠just bring her back."
Jaune's eyes were worried.
"I will. But I promise, we aren't doing anything dangerous. Just a mini mission Ozpin needs us for."
But as the gods themselves conspired against Cecil, so did the deviljho foil his little white lie.
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR
It was getting closer. If he didn't deal with it immediately, it really would pose a danger to the school. Everyone stared at him in terror. Never before had they heard something so terrifying. It was a voice of unadulterated destruction, and it was close. Weiss stepped forward.
"Be safe, you dolt. I won't forgive you if you don't come back in one piece."
Unlikely.
"I will do my best, Ice Queen."
He stepped away from them and towards the exit to the forest. He got there to see the other three already waiting. None of them had packs to carry food, water, or ammunition. This was going to suck.
"You are late, Mr. Corax. As you heard, the 'deviljho' has gotten closer. We must take immediate action."
Glynda was ever impatient with him. Well, two could play that game.
"Listen to me because I will not say this again. If you do not play more defensively than you ever have, you will die. If you touch its saliva, you will die. If it manages to catch you in its mouth, you will die. Our goal is not to kill it, our goal is to survive."
They were grossly unprepared, but he couldn't exactly bring in the Dissidents, so they would have to do. Final order of business that he did manage to remember.
"Take these."
He handed out earplugs to each person there, including Qrow.
"Why do we need these? We won't be able to hear each other."
"If you don't wear them, you won't hear at all. You heard how loud it is."
Qrow started to slide the earplugs into his pocket when Cecil turned and faced him.
"That's how you get tinnitus."
He handed the gun and ammo pouch to Qrow and then took off towards the roars of the deviljho. Although he didn't tell them, the people with him had a 100% chance of dying with a chance of incredible pain.
