Welcome to the next episode and next mission in "Sideline: Another Story". Last time, Team SLVR and Ventus Gaia went bounty hunting and had to deal with a major threat in the form of Clay Crimson. Thanks to Ventus, Team SLVR's second mission was a success and they captured all the bounties they were tasked with getting. As for now, we'll be focusing on Team FCSA's first away mission as they visit a coastal settlement to help with Village Security. However, does this mission seem as easy as you would think?
Off to a new adventure!
RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and was created by Monty Oum (R.I.P)
The only things I own are my own Original Characters
"Well, I guess we'll see each other within the week," Azalea said to the rest of Fragment Hunter as she, Sunset, and Team SLVR all waved goodbye before going on their own ways. Azalea met back up with Team FCSA and their mentor, Lucifer Fujita, as they made their way to the Bullhead that they were going to take. "So, what's the name of the place we're going to, Father Fujita," the Cow Faunus asked.
"A fishing town called 'Port Mako' needs our assistance in providing security while another team deals with a Grimm that's been terrorizing the waters just outside of the area," Lucifer explained. "And if needed, we would probably be asked to give aid to the second team."
"Really? I wonder if we'll recognize them," Layla pondered before everyone heard a barking sound approaching them. "Is that Dante?"
"Looks like it," Azalea said with a smile as she and Team FCSA watched the large hunting dog run after them. "I think he wants to come with us," Azalea surmised as she scratched the mixed breed behind his ears. "Is that okay?"
Lucifer saw Azalea and her dog looking up at him with practically the same puppy-eyed expression on their faces. Chuckling a little at old memories of when Cereza was a child and asked to keep a stray kitten she found in the rain, the Huntsman priest spoke. "I don't see the harm in letting him come along," he said. As Azalea thanked Lucifer, Dante stood up and leaned against Lucifer to lick his face in gratitude. "Hahaha! Down, boy. We need to get going now." At the Huntsman's command, the dog stopped licking him and followed alongside Team FCSA until they reached the Bullhead that they would take to Port Mako. "Everyone on," Lucifer told the group and the teenagers boarded the airship with Dante and the Huntsman following behind them. With all six on, the Bullhead started to take off to the southwest.
After a while of flying, Lucifer, Dante, and Team FCSA heard the pilot speak to them. "Port Mako should be seen in a few minutes. Get ready for landing outside the village gates," the pilot told them. "I'll be back when I've been given the okay." Hearing that they were arriving at their destination, Team FSCA prepared their equipment for their landing strategies while Dante stretched out his legs and yawned.
"Now, the village is expecting us to ensure that we protect their residents," Lucifer explained. "There have been reports of a Grimm that has been spotted lurking around the waters near Port Mako. While our mission is to make sure the village is protected, there's nothing stopping us from aiding the one's assigned to hunt down the beast. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," Team FCSA replied while Dante barked to acknowledge the information given.
"We're approaching Port Mako," the pilot said. Everyone soon looked out the Bullhead to see a fishing village that looked bigger than Team FCSA expected. While they could see a number of piers and docks with old shacks nearby them, there was also plenty of newer and more recently-built homes within the town away from the crystal blue water. The teenagers could see that some workmen were fixing up a few of the older buildings, but a few places seemed to be damaged from what looked like a Grimm attack. "The gates are coming up," the pilot said as the Bullhead began to slow down.
Lucifer and the rest of the passengers saw the vehicle's doors open and the six took the first good chance they got to jump out of the vehicle. As all of them made their landings, the Bullhead headed back for Vale until it and the pilot were needed again. The residents of Port Mako saw the Bullhead and went to the village gates to go greet the visiting Huntsmen who would help with their request. "Thank you for coming to our aid," an old man who was clearly the village elder said to Lucifer as they approached one another.
"This is all in good faith," Lucifer said as he shook the elder's hand. "Now, if you were to please give us a little more information about our task? My daughter and her friends would probably like to know what exactly we should help with."
The elder sighed as he turned toward the village and asked everyone to follow him. "You see, Vale normally doesn't have to worry about attacks from aquatic Grimm because of the shallow waters near their harbors and at the island of Patch, but we've been having trouble with a young and very dangerous Grimm that has no real issue with the depth of the waters around here," the elder explained. "Not only that, but some different Grimm have been sighted around the same areas as the real plague upon our town and Hope Island."
"Hope Island," Slate questioned.
"It's a small island just off the coast of town. You can see it from any of the docks in Port Mako," the elder replied. "The youngsters all love to spend their time there having fun, but with the Grimm being spotted in the waters around here..."
"You're too scared of them getting attacked to let them go to the island until this whole thing is resolved," Cereza concluded.
"Correct, young lady," the elder stated. "While we'd be happy with you staying in town to look after everyone and help with repairs, our greater concern is that of the Grimm near Hope Island. Because the island is within our borders, it is technically part of Port Mako, which makes it part of your job to make sure that it's protected."
"Understood," Lucifer said as he heard the elder. "Now, there's just the issue with where we should stay for the time we're here."
"If you want somewhere to sleep, the church on the east side of town is willing to shelter those who need it," one civilian said as they pointed in the direction of a small church.
"Thank you," Lucifer replied before turning to Team FCSA and Dante. "Come along. We need to drop off our bags."
After talking with the local priest, Lucifer and Team FCSA made sure to put their bags away in the quarters that they were given before they went to the harbor to discuss getting a vessel to take the group to Hope Island. Along the way, they encountered several children who were either curious about what they did as Huntsmen and Huntresses or they wanted to play with Dante. When the group reached the docks, Lucifer went to speak with anyone who had a boat for the voyage to the island. While Team FCSA waited, they saw Dante playing with a few local children who were trying to hug the large dog or climb on top of his back to ride him like a horse. Slate watched the children playing with Azalea's dog and chuckled to himself at the sight before turning to his team and seeing there was somebody missing. "Hey, where'd Azalea go," Slate asked.
Cereza and Layla looked around for themselves and tried to see where Azalea went. "I don't know," Layla said.
"I doubt that she went to find a boat for herself," Cereza remarked as she looked around the moderately busy pier. "We have to help this place, but I doubt she went to save Hope Island alone," she added as she looked out to the island. Just like the elder said earlier, Hope Island was visible from the pier and it wasn't a very large landmark. Sure, it was big enough to see from the mainland, but also too small to build any proper additions on. Hearing descriptions of the island from local teenagers and children, it seemed that Hope Island was turned into a child's exploration dream with all sorts of things for beginning adventurers to discover as well as enough room for older kids to sit back and relax. "I swear if she went to deal with this on her own..."
"What's going on with who," asked a familiar voice as the rest of Team FCSA saw Azalea with a few boxes in her arms. "If you were wondering where I went, I got snacks," she explained as she pulled a fish-shaped cake of sorts and took a large bite out of it. "There's a few stands on the dock that sells takoyaki and taiyaki! Have some!"
"Ta-what-y," Layla and Slate said in confusion as they saw what Azalea was eating.
Azalea swallowed what she had in her mouth before explaining further. "Takoyaki is basically a dumpling with octopus meat as the filling and taiyaki is a cute little fish-shaped pancake filled with stuff like red bean paste, chocolate, and sometimes even meat like pork," she said before taking another large bite out her current taiyaki. "Mmm, chocolate..."
"Those things have pork in them," Slate asked in wonder. Azalea was too busy eating to answer Slate, so she handed him one of the boxes she carried in her right hand for him to open. Seeing the fish-shaped cakes, Slate picked one up and tore it in half to see the insides of the one he chose were definitely filled with pork like the dumplings at the restaurant he and Azalea went to before. "Huh... Bet it tastes good," he said to himself before eating half of the snack food while Dante managed to swipe the other half from Slate's hand. "It does! Mmm... Tasty!"
"Hey, let me have some then," Layla exclaimed as she saw Slate grab two more to compensate for the piece Dante stole.
"Save some for your leader," Cereza playfully argued as she walked over to grab the other box from Azalea.
"Sometimes they even top them with ice cream," Azalea added when she finished her snack.
"How do you know so much about these," Layla asked.
"Whenever I visited Nashihana with my family, I always loved to get taiyaki and other food from stalls. Especially during festivals being held there," Azalea answered as she checked her wallet. Seeing that she had enough money for another order of food, she and Dante went to go get some.
When the girl and her dog reached the stand again, the bear-eared Faunus man running the stand laughed heartily when he saw her. "Well, seems that your friends are enjoying the food if you're back for extra, little lady," he chuckled.
"Yeah. Another special order of taiyaki, please," Azalea said as she gave a few Lien to the man.
"Coming right up," the Bear Faunus said as he and the other workers at the stand began to pour batter into a special set of pans to get the cakes in the correct shapes.
While she watched the cooks get to work on her order, Azalea didn't notice Dante looking around the dock and see somebody approaching one of his masters. Jumping at the person with a howl, Azalea and the stand workers heard a yell when the dog landed on someone. "Ah! Get off of me," a voice that Azalea thought sounded familiar exclaimed before she saw a head of spiky brown hair. When Azalea called the dog over, she saw that the person that Dante jumped on was Percival Ivory, who she met at Beacon Academy the day before the Breach in Vale. Percival stood up and dusted himself off before he saw the dog standing next to Azalea. "Hey, it's Azalea! What brings you here? Mission," Percival exclaimed before asking the girl.
"Yeah. Village Security," Azalea replied. "You?"
"Search and Destroy. Apparently, there's been a number of Grimm in the waters around here and I'm here to help out with my team," Percival replied. "So, this your dog?"
"Yeah, this is Dante," Azalea said.
Dante soon stood up on his hind legs and began to lick away at Percival's face. "Hahaha! Friendly guy, ain't he? Wanna be my bud," the feline Faunus said to the dog, who only barked in reply with a big smile on his face. "Alright, then. Give me your paw," Percival told the dog, who sat back down and obeyed. Shaking Dante's paw, Percival adjusted his grip before bumping his fist lightly against the dog's paw and tapped it like he did with Azalea before. He soon ended the handshake by bumping his fist and Dante's paw once more, then he lifted his hand for the hunting dog to place his paw against his palm. "Now, we're buds," Percival exclaimed as he started to scratch the dog's neck.
Azalea giggled at how Percival did his personal handshake with her dog before the taiyaki stand owner gave Azalea her order and change. "So, if you're here, where's the rest of your team," Azalea asked as she put her wallet in her pocket and carried her box of taiyaki.
"Oh, they're trying to find a ship for us to take over to where the Grimm where sighted," Percival explained. "But they've been talking with this Huntsman priest guy about arranging for us to take the same boat, so we need to get a bigger boat since there might be about nine of us."
"Ten, if you count Dante," Azalea said as she pulled out a taiyaki to give her recently-made friend.
"Thanks," he said as he accepted the treat and took a bite of it. After a while, Percival realized what Azalea said and was shocked at what he managed to put together. "What!? You're here with that priest guy?"
"Yeah. He's Cereza's dad and he's our mentor for this mission," Azalea told him. "Dante wanted to keep an eye on me, so he came with us." The dog barked twice as if to answer what Azalea said.
"Well then, looks like we'll be able to see how our teams do in battle before the Vytal Festival," Percival said with a big grin on his face. "This is going to be a blast," he exclaimed as he raised both arms in the air.
And with this chapter done, we're finished with the first part of Team FCSA's mission at Port Mako. I wanted to have this mission involve another team because of the idea of civilian rescue or protecting a town while other deal with Grimm hunting, so I'm bringing in Team PRDT to help Team FCSA and give the former some moments to show off before the Vytal Festival. It was either them or Team GLOW from Atlas with Maxwell and Raduga, but I'm still going through some final details for the Atlas team.
When the next chapter is up, I'll be showing off the first of some aquatic Grimm I've been thinking of for Sideline as well as introducing the last member of Team PRDT. I'm a little excited to write up battle scenes involving Percival because I've only been showing his friendly and non-combatant side, so be ready to see more of him and the rest of his team in action when they help out Team FCSA.
Until next time, everyone. WaterDragonMaverick, signing out!