Chapter 10:
The tendrils now snaked their way onto the ship's deck. Ruby noticed a few reaching over for the fish, meaning it had definitely been attracted. However, if anything, the creature was certain there was more than that.
Spider droids powered up, fusing their weapons together. According to Weiss, one had enough power to mow down a small army. She hoped that they would be sufficient enough for just a while.
The tentacles were moving slower toward them now. The droids were primed and ready to act upon Glynda's orders.
"Anytime now Ms. Goodwitch." Weiss said as she poised Myrtenaster.
"Not yet..." Ruby said. The goal of the droids was to inflict damage to the largest part of the tentacles. Ruby hoped it would at least weaken the creature.
"Ruby..." Jaune gulped, shrinking back as a tentacle got too close.
"Not yet..." Ruby muttered under her breath.
Damien was shaking slightly as the tendrils slithered closer and closer. Even Glynda was apprehensive about the close proximity they were in.
"RUBY!" Weiss yelled as a tentacle slowly reached for her ankle.
"Ms. Goodwitch! Now!" She yelled.
Glynda set the droids into battle mode. They instantly reacted by blasting a high-powered energy burst at the tentacles. The tentacles were engulfed in it along with whatever portion of the ship's deck was there.
When the smoke cleared, Ruby saw the tentacles writhing around, scorched by the powerful weapons of the droids. They sank down and back into the ocean. But Ruby knew it wasn't over. They had merely gotten it angry.
"Okay." Jaune breathed heavily. "Now what?"
"Now we get ready the plan." Ruby said. "It will be back soon enough, so we have to move fast. Damien, can you get the charge set?"
"Just as long as you can keep it off me!" He yelled, running down to the cargo bay.
Ruby nodded. Now they would have to put great emphasis on making sure it's tentacles would be stuck onto the ship. Weiss had noted that pinning a small portion of the tentacle wouldn't be enough, meaning they had to get it to wrap the larger ends of its appendages onto the ship.
Weiss and Ren would then get to work, pinning the creature onto the ship with their abilities while the rest covered them. The minute it would decide to smash apart the ship, they would set off Damien's charge. There was a minute before it went off, so Ruby figured they'd be able to escape.
"Stay frosty all of you." Glynda cautioned, her eyes scanning for any sign of the creature.
Pyrrha and Jaune came back, arms full with harpoons. Ren immediately grabbed one, twirling it in his hand. Nora had foregone the slender tools, choosing instead to draw Magnhild. She checked to make sure it was loaded, at the same time taking a small belt of grenades out and securing it to her waist.
Blake watched from the top of the bridge, her eyes scanning the ocean for any form of disturbance. The last thing they needed was to get caught off guard. She slowly unsheathed Gambol Shroud off her back, the weapon shifting to its kusarigama state.
"Blake, anything?" Ruby called from below.
Blake's eyes darted to Ruby for a split second. "Nothing yet."
"Alright!" Ruby replied. "Damien is getting the charge set right now! He should be done within a couple more minutes!"
"Got it." Blake said. "We should be alright for..."
Blake couldn't finish her sentence as, once again, the ship rocked violently, sending loose objects and people rolling about the deck.
Jaune looked up at Pyrrha as they picked themselves off the floor. "Not good..."
"Get ready everyone!" Glynda yelled. "Prepare for another attack!"
Ruby deployed Crescent Rose, getting into her stance. Where are you?
"Any sign Blake?" Yang called out as Ember Celica unfurled.
"I don't see anything!" The Faunus cried from her vantage point. Blake furiously scanned the water's surface for any sign of the creature. She saw nothing, but her instincts told her otherwise. They weren't in the clear yet.
Something rumbled through the air. Everyone on the ship shuddered as the creature's roar, low and guttural, echoed from beneath the water's surface.
Suddenly, eight huge tentacles burst out of the water and directed all their force toward the middle of the ship's hull, something not part of the plan. The tentacles smashed right through, tearing apart the steel plating that formed the ship's body.
"What in the?" Weiss yelled as the ship was smashed apart, the whole vessel rocking violently as the tentacles ripped through.
Ruby's eyes widened as some of the tentacles burst out through the very deck. Jaune squealed as one broke through the deck right in front of him. It would have gotten him too had Blake not jumped in almost instantly, Gambol Shroud hooking onto a tentacle to allow her to swing down and get him out of the way.
Nora blasted away with Magnhild, but if the grenades of Nora's weapon did anything, the creature didn't notice. Ren deftly avoided tentacles that now smashed apart crates, droids and the ship while drawing StormFlower and giving nicks and cuts along any tentacle he saw.
Ruby fired at will. This, she had to admit was not part of the plan. The AK-130s went into action, slashing away at the tentacles, but it was useless. The creature merely targeted its attackers, sweeping them off into the ocean or crushing them in its grasp. Even the large spider droids, with all their firepower could only watch as their weapons had little effect before they were lifted high into the air.
Ruby saw Damien scramble out of the cargo hold. "We're done! One of them tentacles just smashed the detonator! I can't set the thing off now!"
"What's new?" Weiss growled as she swung a flaming arc at one tentacle before stabbing another, the appendages wriggling in pain.
Yang fired Ember Celica at any tentacle she saw, but her gauntlets barely scratched it. Her eyes noticed one darting at her and she jumped, using the momentum of gravity to smash down on it whilst firing off a single round. The tentacle merely responded by twisting around and grabbing her.
"Crap!" Yang yelled as she was lifted high above the deck. She pummeled the tentacle in any way she could, but it refused to let go.
Purple streaks came from above, barraging the appendage that held Yang captive. At the same time, three grenade rounds exploded right upon the tentacle. This time, it let go and Yang fell to the deck of the ship, using her weapons to slow the fall.
"Now what?" Pyrrha asked as she fired Miló. They merely slowed the tentacles heading for her, but didn't stop them.
Ruby moved to answer before she felt her leg slip out from under her. She felt herself get dragged to the side of the ship while she frantically tried to grasp anything she could.
"RUBY!" Yang cried, diving at her. Her arms grasped Ruby's own, barely slowing them down. Jaune instantly ran over and, with a swing of his sword, sliced off the appendage that held Ruby. Foul-smelling blood sprayed about.
"Oh man..." Yang grimaced as she wiped the creature's blood off. "That seriously smells..."
"Uh, help!?" Came Weiss's voice. Ruby turned to see her partner fighting off three tentacles whilst being flanked by two Ak-130s. One of the androids was now grabbed by the tentacles which then proceeded to drag it through the hole on the ship's deck, crushing it into scrap. Ruby dashed forward, using Crescent Rose's momentum to propel herself to Weiss. A good thing too, since the minute she grabbed Weiss's bolero, a tentacle had come from behind the heiress, missing its intended target and instead grabbing the last android.
"Okay, this is hopeless!" Ruby gasped.
"So abandon ship?" Weiss said as she got to her stance.
Ruby nodded. "Guys, get off this thing! We are at a complete disadvantage!"
"I'll say!" Jaune yelled over the clamour. Glynda merely nodded, sweat forming on her forehead as she sent an energy burst at other tentacles that had surrounded Ren, Nora and Blake, allowing them to escape.
Just as everyone made it to the side to the ship, the whole vessel suddenly tipped. Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and embedded its blade into the deck, her free hand grabbing onto Weiss.
"What's it doing now?" Blake yelled, plunging the blade of her own weapon to steady herself.
"I..." Pyrrha began as she looked around with Miló as an anchor. The entire orientation of the ship was off now. The starboard side of the vessel now inched closer to the sea.
"I think it's trying to capsize us!" She said.
"Oh man..." Jaune gulped. "We're not going to make it this way!"
"Man up Mr. Arc!" Glynda scowled. She waved her crop and at once, broken pieces of metal and debris started floating around her. With a wave, Glynda used them to create a domed structure that now floated around her and everyone else.
"Quickly, into the sea! I will cover us!" She said. The students and Damien nodded and all of them made it for the side. Just as they reached, another tentacle snaked in, latching onto Ruby's ankle and yanking her away.
"Uwaah!" Ruby screamed as she found herself in the creature's mercy once more.
"RUBY!" Yang cried, breaking away and rushing back to save her sister. But another tentacle shot out of the water and grabbed the ship, tilting it even more on its right. Yang stumbled as the gradient changed, the angle of the ship now causing her to roll towards the water.
"YANG!" Ruby yelled as Yang hit the ship rails. From her height, she could now see that the creature had tipped the ship almost completely vertical. How powerful was this thing?
With Glynda's help, everyone now made it into the water and were swimming as far as possible away from the doomed vessel. Thankfully, it seemed the creature was still fixated upon the ship to care much for a few people.
She saw Blake fire Gambol Shroud at a tentacle. Blake felt the momentum of the appendage pull her out of the water and toward the ship, during which she hopped on and grabbed Yang, hauling her into the ocean. Blake disengaged her weapon, the momentum of the swing causing them to launch a ways away into the water.
Now for myself... Ruby noticed the tentacle had carried her higher into the air as the drama unfolded below. If she wasn't careful, saving herself from the creature's grip could earn her a death by a fall.
Ruby twisted her scythe, firing off another round. The tentacle let go and she plummeted down toward the ship. Bracing herself, she swung out just as she passed the deck. Crescent Rose's blade dug deep into the hull and Ruby jerked as her momentum stopped completely. She was on the ship again, but this time, the ship was tilted completely vertically on its right.
"RUBY!" Came Weiss's voice. "GET OFF THAT THING NOW!"
Ruby stared at her partner waving at her from the ocean. She slowly calculated how to get off the sinking boat when she noticed something. Upon Crescent Rose's blade dripped a fine powdery substance.
Dust? She wondered where it had come from. Then, it slowly dawned. Perhaps in the rampage upon the ship, the creature must have broken some of the Dust barrels within. And now her weapon had just made a hole through the ship's cargo hold. A new idea formed in Ruby's head. Not less crazy than the last, but she figured it might work.
"No!" She yelled back. "I have another plan! Cover me!"
"ARE YOU INSANE?" Weiss screamed. "YOU ARE GOING TO DIE LIKE THIS!"
"No I won't!" Ruby replied. "Trust me!" Through her eyes, Weiss now saw the muzzle flash of Crescent Rose, the recoil causing Ruby to inch slowly up the side (technically the deck) of the ship.
"What're you..." Weiss squinted just enough to see the small stream of red Dust powder spilling out.
"Blake, Ren, get up there and cover her! Yang, I need a boost!" She said.
"What do you..." Glynda stared. "Young lady, get back here now! We are aborting this mission!"
"Ms. Goodwitch please!" Weiss said as she swam over to Yang. "This might just work! Okay Yang, I just need you to help me on your shoulders!"
Yang struggled to lift Weiss up in the water. As soon as Weiss was up, she jumped slightly, using an air step to propel herself toward the sinking ship.
"Ren, hold on." Blake said as she fired Gambol Shroud at a tentacle just in range. Ren grabbed her arm just as the tentacle's movement lifted her high into the air, with Ren trailing behind.
"What are they doing?" Pyrrha wondered. Jaune looked at them as they moved toward the ship. Weiss now cut her chain of air steps, falling onto one tentacle. With a flourish of her sword and a burst of light, the tentacle now found itself pinned onto the hull of the ship. It tried to free itself, but Weiss's theory had proven correct, as with its lowest section frozen, the creature could muster enough force to break free easily.
"Pyrrha! The harpoons, get them to Ren! Nora, Yang, cover them! Hit the tentacles I point out!" Jaune said as realization dawned.
"Got it!" Pyrrha nodded, using her Aura to magnetically lift the harpoons and fling them in Ren's direction.
"Here goes!" Nora suddenly drew Magnhild and blasted away.
This is nuts... Weiss thought as she cast another air step, narrowly avoiding the tentacles moving all around. From the corner of her eye, she saw Blake let go of Ren. He latched his blades onto one tentacle before releasing his hold and skidding down it. At the same time, his hand reached for a harpoon magnetically lifted to him by Pyrrha and, with a slight magenta glow from his hand, threw the harpoon at the tentacle wrapped around the ship.
The harpoon speared right through the appendage and onto the ship, hooking it where it was. Ren threw a few more, each one bolstered by the sheer force of his Aura. Weiss leapt toward that particular tentacle, freezing it in place.
A roar sounded from the massive monster. Blake swung around, leaping from tentacle to tentacle, her speed allowing her to traverse them without getting caught. She reached out for Ren and at the same time, firing Gambol Shroud at another tentacle.
"Blake!" Ren yelled as a tentacle now obstructed Blake's path. Unfortunately, the Faunus couldn't adjust her swing in time. They would be caught!
Something exploded off the tentacle and it shrank away. The two of them looked to see Nora blasting away.
"Yeah! Eat that you big sushi! I'm so having you for breakfast! Well, not really eating you I mean. Lord knows you'd taste disgusting!" She screamed as she directed her fire at two tentacles going for Ruby. Fire also exploded off those tentacles.
"Keep your slimy hands off my sister you freak!" Yang roared, her eyes red.
Blake swung Ren to another tentacle that was now wrapped around the bridge. He let go, flipping towards it. He grabbed two more harpoons that Pyrrha had flawlessly directed his way. As with the rest, he struck the tentacle, his Aura giving enough force to pin the appendage as Weiss reinforced it with ice. They moved off, Weiss freezing whatever tentacle she could with him pinning them.
Slowly however, it got draining. Ren was breathing heavily now and only Blake, Nora and Yang were covering his now sluggish movements. Weiss herself panted with every air step she made, her jumping distances going shorter and shorter.
Please hurry Ruby... She thought grimly, reaching for the last vial of blue Dust in her pouch.
Ruby grunted as Crescent Rose made the hold larger, steel splintering and warping with every burst from the weapon.
"Come on..." She groaned as she fired again, pulling at the same time. Slowly but surely, the hole got larger. She caught the forms of Weiss and Ren pinning a fourth tentacle onto the ship's hull. Blake swung around, taking free shots at any tentacle in the hopes to keep it busy. Jaune directed Nora and Yang's fire while Pyrrha kept sending harpoons at Ren.
Just a little more! She thought furiously, gouging another inch into the ship's hull. More Dust was now spilling out and a few intact barrels were exposed.
From behind, a tentacle reached for her, only to get knocked toward the ship with the combined might of Nora, Yang and now Glynda Goodwitch. Quickly, Blake and Weiss reacted, propelling themselves and Ren toward the tentacle before freezing it and spearing it with harpoons. The two of them, now completely drained of their Aura fell to the ocean, Blake catching them before they splashed into the water below.
"Alright!" Ruby smiled as she forced again, this time using her Aura and the power of Crescent Rose's shot to cut a much larger incision through the deck. As she fell, she turned toward Yang.
"YANG! SHOOT! NOW!" She screamed as a tentacle came, smacking her away and into the ocean.
"RUBY!" Yang screamed, eyes in shock. "RUBY NO!"
"Yang!" She turned to see Weiss swimming toward her, breathing heavily. "We have to do it now!"
"But, Ruby!" Yang's eyes were filled with fear. Was she dead? Did it get her?
"Focus Yang!" Weiss growled, pointing at the ship. "Do you want Ruby's work to be in vain?"
Yang looked at the ship onto which five tentacles were already trying to pry themselves free. Then she spotted the large gash on the hull from which Dust leaked out.
"No way in hell." Yang said, her eyes going red and fire exploded form her frame. "Think you can make the shot princess?"
"Of course I can." Weiss smiled, Myrtenaster rotating. "Nora! Ms. Goodwitch! Mr. Jonas!"
Nora readied Magnhild while Glynda readied a ball of purple energy. Damien whipped out his harpoon rifle and aimed, not before setting the tip on fire. "Goodbye, 'Devil'." He growled through gritted teeth. "This is for all them lives you took."
They fired, a single blazing round from Ember Celica, a flaming arc from Myrtenaster, a single grenade, a huge stream of purple energy and a harpoon tipped with a powerful explosive.
The combined force of the shots now streamed toward the huge cut in the ship made by Ruby, converging on the single barrel of Dust that obstructed part of the opening.
The destructive power of their weapons was now amplified at least a thousand-fold as the Dust ignited and reacted accordingly, setting off a volatile explosion within the ship. The flames caught themselves onto exposed fuel lines, igniting whatever fuel was left within the vessel. Within seconds, the ship exploded, fire and shrapnel engulfing whatever tentacle was too close or pinned to the vessel's body.
"Dive!" Yang cried out and submerged as hot metal shrapnel, wood and burning Grimm flesh rained all around them. From beneath the water, the Grimm roared in pain. Yang turned and saw it now, writhing in pain as it struggled to free itself from whatever it was pinned to.
She surfaced, lungs crying for air. She watched the aftermath of it all as the others burst through the water. The ship was now a burning wreck from which fire spilled forth. The tentacles of the creature writhed in agony as its flesh burned off, leaving nothing but thin weakened strips.
The tentacles-what remained of them- now slowly sank back into the ocean. Everyone watched as the creature seemed to retreat for now, disappearing into the depths of whatever home it crawled from. Except...
"Ruby?" Yang waded in the water, desperately looking for her sister. "Ruby! Where are you?"
Something burst out from behind Yang. Everyone turned to see a soaked Ruby Rose gasping for air.
"Ruby!" Yang swam over, grabbing the little girl under her arms.
"Yang!" Ruby gasped as she embraced her sister. "Oh Gods Yang!"
Yang hugged Ruby as well. "Geez lil' sis. You are crazy!"
Ruby chuckled a little, ignoring the aching all over her body. "Heh, you think?"
"Are you kidding?" Weiss smiled. "You are the most insane person ever!"
"But I suppose it's in a good way." Blake said.
Ruby looked around as Team JNPR, Glynda and Damien came over. Jaune gave a thumbs-up while Pyrrha merely winked. Ren looked tired, but satisfied while Nora supported him, her usual toothy grin adorning her face.
Ruby then turned to see the monster finally sink into the ocean and disappear from sight. No doubt it wasn't sticking around now that it was vulnerable.
"Uh, Mr. Jonas, do you think we could get a ride back to shore?" Ruby asked.