Back at Beacon, Team MGAT sat in their room, trying to figure out what happened to Team CSRD. None of CSRD answered their recent messages, and a few members of MGAT began to worry.
"They probably got put on assignment like the rest of us will be later today." Mola guessed.
"But why would they get to go so early?" Gemma contradicted. "And I'm sure Axel would have said something if they were going to go away for an extended period of time."
"You would have made sure he did, you mean?" Trucy added with a laugh, only to be met by a glare that chilled her to her core. She stopped laughing and cleared her throat, going silent.
"They said they had to go to the docks or something, right?" Ainsley asked. "Maybe they got shipped out early? Then again, if that was the case, why aren't they back here yet?"
Gemma began to shift nervously in her seat.
"It's still really odd that Axel hasn't said a word to me since they disappeared. He knows I worry." She stammered, beginning to panic. "What if-"
"Unfortunately," Mola interrupted, holding up his hand to get the rest of the group's attention, "We don't have time to deduce the fates of our dear friends. We have to report to class for our assignment."
"It's not like those idiots to go off and disappear without so much as telling us where they are. Hopefully they aren't in trouble." Trucy looked almost sad about Team CSRD's disappearance.
"But, knowing those four…" Ainsley said, hesitating to get the words out. "No, I shouldn't say it. Mola is right after all. We have an important task to take care of first. We have all the time to worry about them afterwards."
"If you three are ready to go, then let's get going."
"Can we grab some food first?" Trucy asked, her stomach gurgling. "We're late for breakfast, and I don't know if I'll make it through without some food."
The group rushed to the cafeteria just as they were wrapping up breakfast and grabbed a few breakfast croissants on their way to class. Trucy wasn't happy with the overall haul, but couldn't complain too much. She liked croissants.
Team MGAT burst into the auditorium just as Ozpin was about to begin his speech. They all froze, hands over their mouths (and three separate hands over Gemma's). A few heads turned, but fortunately most of the group remained focused on Ozpin.
"Today we stand together, united." Ozpin began. "Mistral, Atlas, Vacuo, Vale-The four kingdoms of Remnant-on this day, nearly 80 years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end." He paused, glancing around at the crowd before continuing. "It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with who, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for all sorts of reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self expression." He looked down at his feet, almost with the sort of shame as someone who had lived it. "And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither would the generations to come." He raised his head back up and looked proudly into the audience once more. "And it was a trend that has held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united, but this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it." He turned and gestured to the screens as they flashed on, and lists of names began to appear in groups. "As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you will be taken out of the kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week." He returned his attention to the students to give his closing remarks. "No matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training… and remember to do your very best." He closed out the speech and stepped off the stage to a great applause.
"Yes! A real mission!" Gemma exclaimed with noticeable excitement, high-fiving Ainsley.
"Finally gives us a chance to show those punks what we're made of! We'll show 'em!" Ainsley's voice took on a Brooklyn-esque accent by mistake.
"Uhhh," Gemma responded, with a more-than-confused look. "Did you mean to say it like that?"
Ainsley's face flashed red. "NO! I… uh I didn't mean to say it like that." She sighed heavily. "I watched way too much mobster and spy stuff as a kid." Ainsley laughed it off but Gemma shook her head with mild acceptance.
"So that's where you get the whole look from," Gemma said, finally putting two and two together.
"Honestly, I'm surprised you were allowed to watch those as a kid. They seem… graphic." Trucy joked.
"What they don't know can't hurt 'em," she simply replied.
"Very true," Trucy agreed with a nod.
"If you are quite finished," Mola interjected, motioning for them to move on, "we should go meet up with our assigned Huntsman."
"Any idea who it is yet?" Gemma asked.
"No clue," Mola replied, checking his scroll. "All I know is that we're supposed to report to the…" he gasped in realization as he stopped dead in his tracks. He groaned loudly, and a look of regret plastered itself across his face. "The biology room." He slumped over as the group stopped in front of the door. He took a deep breath before adopting an upbeat facade and opening the door.
"Hello Team MGAT," said a familiar upbeat voice.
"Hello Professor Peach," Mola grumbled through the teeth of a fake smile. "So you're our Huntress guide for the mission?"
"Yes I am. We're all going to have so much fun!" Professor Peach sounded genuinely excited, while all of Team MGAT already had expressions of boredom written across their faces.
"So what are we going to be doing?" Mola was trying to look at the bright side as much as he could.
"Today you will all be joining me on patrols around Vale! We'll spot criminals and bring them to justice!" Peach brimmed with a glow of joy and happiness that seemed to envelop Team MGAT. Mola was about to speak when Ainsley bursted out with a huge smile.
"Woah, really?!" She delved back into her accent. "We can finally get out and let loose!"
Professor Peach looked at the team with mild concern. "Is she usually like this?"
"No," Trucy answered, "But in her terms, she is going to go 'gangsta' on them." Trucy flashed Ainsley a cocky smirk.
Ainsley was about to open her mouth when Mola stepped in.
"She just gets like this when we don't go out for long periods of time. It's to let me know that we as a team need to get out and release some pent up stress."
"You didn't have to say it like that." Ainsley sported a pouty face and crossed her arms, turning her head, Mola shaking his own.
"Anyway," Mola continued, "what areas of Vale are going to?"
"You'll see," the teacher said, giving the team a sense of anticipation.
As the day went on, Team MGAT had come to understand that their mission couldn't even be called such.
"Pardon, Professor." Mola turned to face their guide as they all walked down the same street for about the 6th time that day. "We've been walking in circles almost all day and we haven't found anyone causing trouble yet. It's like we are only patrolling the safer areas of Vale."
Professor Peach kept walking with a smile that knew she was busted. "You see, kids, it wasn't up to me on where I would take you all. After all, your entire team's overall performances in combat and academics are slightly below average and it was thought that you all should get something easy."
"Huh?" A look of disgust formed over Trucy's face. "Are you serious?! We could be out there doing actual training, combat, or observation, yet here we are walking the same street over and over!"
"Please Trucy, calm down," Gemma said, trying to quell the anger.
"I can memorize where all the cracks on the pavement are at this point!"
"Enough, Trucy." Mola spoke harshly, retaining his composure. She backed off at Mola's request. "I'm sorry for the outburst, Professor Peach. I try to keep the team running as smoothly as I can."
"No no, it is quite okay," the professor spoke in a soft tone. "I can imagine all of you are upset by this, but please, just know that I didn't have a say in the matter whatsoever. I am doing my best in trying to make the day bearable for you all."
"We understand, Professor," Ainsley smiled. "I know we haven't been doing the best as of late, but we can fix it by the time the tournament starts."
"Of course!" Peach smiled once more. "I'll root you four on!"
Suddenly a loud rumbling sound came from beneath the ground. It shook with enough violence that the group felt themselves losing balance as cracks formed all over the roads and streets.
"What's going on!?" Mola looked around everywhere, as did everyone else. Mass panic soon filled the area, people running and screaming for their lives.
"Uuuhh, guys?!" Gemma said, looking down at the ground.
Soon enough the cracks became large openings in the earth and what followed scared all of them. All kinds of different Grimm exited from the holes that were created, swarming the surrounding area.
"What the hell?" Ainsley shrieked. A look of fear washed over not just her, but the rest of the team, and Professor Peach as well.
"Ok kids, let's try and remain calm and get everyone to safety." Peach pointed to a large building on the street that people were already flocking to. "Get them in there, and I'll keep the place safe."
"Right away, Professor," Mola responded.
"Finally, we can do our jobs." Trucy walked towards the horde of Grimm who up till now paid no attention to them. She began to blast away at the horde with her projectiles, gathering all the attention unto the team.
"Trucy!" Mola yelled out to get her attention. "Stop for a second and get yourself in order! This is no time to go about doing whatever you want. We have to prove we can work as a team, not individuals. This is why we were put on a mission like this in the first place!"
Mola's reminder managed to grab Trucy's attention, stopping her for a moment to see what she did. She thought about going to her team but decided on saying something else instead.
"Then get your butts over here if you want to work as a team. I'm getting their attention already."
Mola let out a silent sigh of anger. "You people drive me nuts. Good thing I'm the leader to keep this loose cannon team together." He let out a small little laugh as he ran towards the danger, putting the team's odd dynamic behind him for the moment. "Let's get this party started, you three!"
"Alright!" Gemma shouted back as she turned to her crystalline form and drew her bow. "Let's work together if we want to keep people safe!"
"And hopefully keep the city in one piece," Ainsley added as they watched a large group of grimm leap and crash into a nearby building. The foundation cracked, and the building crumbled to the ground. "So much for that one," she expressed with defeat.
"NOOOOOO!" Trucy cried and fell to her knees. The rest of Team MGAT turned to see what was the matter. She was fine, but holding back tears. Mola tilted his head and his eyes narrowed in confusion.
"What? What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.
"That was the fried chicken place!" Tears began streaming down her face. "They had the best tendies in the city…"
Mola rolled his eyes and brought his team in to regroup and strategize.
"Alright guys, we need to focus. Ainsley, I need you on top of that building there," he said, pointing to the tallest building in the area. "Use the fire escape to get to the roof and look for people in trouble. Gemma, you go with her and keep her covered. Take out any Grimm you can along the way."
"You got it, boss!" Ainsley said with a nod, as she and Gemma ran over to the building.
"Trucy, you'll be with me. We have some street sweeping to do. And for the love of the gods please be careful. Last thing we need against us is property damage."
"Right! Let's do this." Trucy smiled, happy to finally get a chance to actually do something. She and Mola took off down the road and started taking out every Grimm in sight. Mola too was starting to feel the excitement in getting some real action. He spotted a Beowolf heading toward a nearby barbershop and took off toward it. Trucy found the nearest restaurant and took up a defensive position, swinging her spear wildly at any grimm that dared to come near.
Mola pulled his sword from the belly of his most recent victim: a large Ursa that was attacking a nearby farmer's market. He motioned for the people sheltering behind their stands to run to safety, and turned to cover their escape. A loud buzzing came from his pocket.
"Uh, guys?!" Mola heard Ainsley's voice come over comms. "We made it to the top of the building." An explosion followed by the sounds of Gemma pummeling Grimm blared in the background.
"Yeah, and there's a massive horde of Grimm converging on your position!" Gemma's voice screamed through the speaker.
"We hear you," Mola replied, "Let's regroup at my position and discuss our next move."
"On our way, boss-WOAH!" Ainsley responded, being interrupted by a loud crash, the sounds of gunfire ringing over the comms. "We'll be there as soon as we've dealt with these guys."
"Just be smart and get back in one piece, you two."
"Yes, O' Fearless leader," Gemma said sarcastically as the sound of her punching a Grimm with a crystalline fist rang over the speaker.
Mola turned to check the perimeter, seeing the black and white mass enroute to their position. He put his hand back on his comm device.
"Trucy, did you catch that?"
"Yeah. I got you." Trucy's voice crackled. "But, just to be clear, could you go through that one more time?"
Mola exhaled in frustration, but obliged.
"We're meeting at the farmer's market, where I'm at," he said slowly, so as to leave no room for misinterpretation. "Do you need me to come get you?"
"Nope-ugh, HYAH!-I'll be there in a-oof, HAH!-second!"
"Trucy?" Mola didn't receive an immediate response from her. "You there?"
"Yep. All good here. A few Grimm snuck up on me is all. The chicken place has been avenged." She had sounded quite pleased from the sound of things.
Mola took a sigh of relief. "As much as they bug me at times, they get the job done." His thoughts brought him back to the problem at hand as two giant Beringel approached him.
"Who sent you folks invites to the party?" He swung his sword around his hand, getting ready to fight. "Because I don't remember sending you any." He clicked his tongue. "Tch. I guess I'll just have to show you the door." Mola converted his sword into his crossbow and fired. Upon impact, one of the beringel's eyes spewed black smoke as the creature recoiled in pain, causing it to flail its other arm wildly and without care, accidentally smacking the other Beringel in the face.
Using the opportunity, Mola converted his weapon back into his sword form and charged at the injured Beringel, who at the last second regained its focus and attempted to slam his fist into the huntsman in training, but Mola rolled out of the way and impaled the grimm in the mouth. As he pulled the sword out of the creature, he noticed the other Beringel starting to get back up. Thinking quickly, he dashed under his first target, leapt into the air and came down hard, driving his sword through the second Beringel's head.
"HEY BOSS!" Ainsley's voice came from behind where Mola was standing. "DUCK!"
"Wha-" Mola turned to see what Ainsley was talking about, but was met by the sight of a flying boarbatusk hurtling over him. He managed to crouch under the grimm and turned to face his teammates. Ainsley leaped from the building and landed right next to him.
"Me and Gemma cleared out our area. We got as many people as we could to safety."
"Where's Gemma?" Mola didn't see her exit the building yet.
"She uh, took the stairs."
"Oh."
Gemma soon emerged from the building, panting and out of breath.
"I told you you should have jumped. Those stairs looked like a pain." Ainsley shrugged her shoulders.
"Yeah yeah, whatever." Gemma panted, "You know what else looked like a pain? Jumping off a freaking building. That CAN'T be good for your knees."
"If you two are quite finished, let's focus here." He tapped his earpiece. "Trucy, are you on the way yet?"
"Yes sirrrrr. I'm right around the corner." Her voice could also be heard from a nearby building and she walked into sight, meeting up with the rest of them.
"Alright that's all of us. Now what, boss?" Ainsley asked Mola, considering that there were few Grimm left in the area.
A loud whirring came from the sky, and Team MGAT looked up to see a fleet of military vehicles roaring overhead. Team CVFY jumped out of one of them and promptly whooped every grimm in their path. They were followed by an entire army of Altas military robots that began blasting anything left over.
When it appeared as if most of them were being taken out by help that was sent in by the military, Mola turned to his team and shrugged.
"That other chicken place still standing?" he asked as his stomach growled loudly. Trucy smiled excitedly.
"It wouldn't hurt to check."
"And I suppose since we DID just help save the city," Gemma added with a bright smile that turned almost devious, "they do owe us. Just a little bit."
"Then I guess we get some food since Trucy missed out on the good stuff for breakfast." Mola signaled his team and they proceeded to the restaurant. But, before they could even move three steps, something appeared to move in the shop's windows. At first they couldn't tell what it was, but whatever it was it was closing in fast right behind them.
Ainsley used her semblance, spotting the moving object hurtling towards them. "Everyone get out of the way!"
The object crashed midway into the store as MGAT got out of the way.
"OH GODDAMMIT!" Trucy yelled out in anger. "For the love of all things chicken, whyyyyy?"
"Focus, Trucy." Mola ordered, this time with a bit more of a forceful tone.
The object, now seen as a Death Stalker, turned to face the team.
"Of all the things at a time like this," Mola shook his head and took yet another heavy sigh. "All work and no play I suppose."
"Makes Mola a dull boy?" Trucy gave him a sneer. "Oh wait, I guess you kinda are."
"You can save the witty banter for later." Mola said, unfazed at her crude humor. "Right now we need to do our jobs. If we do it right, the restaurant might yet survive."
Trucy got her weapon ready and shook her head.
"I hate it when you make a good point."
They charged the grimm, but got collectively slapped by the creature's tail, sending them flying back toward the building. They landed a few yards in front of the front door of the restaurant, and Trucy scrambled to her feet and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, a man opened the door, shaking in fear.
"Are you the owner of this place?" Trucy asked.
"Y-yes." the man replied shakily. "Are you from the academy?"
"That we are, sir." Gemma answered, "And don't worry, we'll take care of this thing." She gave the man a reassuring smile.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Trucy began softly, giving the man her best puppy-dog eyes, "could you spare some chicken for after we kill this thing?"
"Are you kidding?" The man replied, "If you save my store, you can eat here free for a month."
Trucy's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She turned back to her team. Her face meant all business.
"Let's mess this thing up," her eyes narrowed dramatically. "Mama needs her tendies."
The team took up their defensive formation, preparing to strike. Mola charged the grimm with his sword drawn, Gemma following closely in her crystalline form. Ainsley and Trucy provided covering fire from their weapons, aiming for the grimm's legs. The projectiles hit the two front legs, preventing it from moving, giving Gemma and Mola time to approach. Mola swiped at the left arm with his sword while Gemma went after the other with her daggers. However, the Grimm's hide was thick, and the blows simply glanced off. The Grimm quickly recovered from its temporary stun and swiped madly at the two. Mola evaded, jumping and rolling, while Gemma chose a more head-on approach, punching the limb out of her way in her crystal form as it came near.
However, they didn't hold out for long before the Grimm turned and slammed its tail down in between the two, the shockwave sending them both flying in opposite directions. Trucy and Ainsley ran in to try and deal some damage and to give Mola and Trucy a chance to recover. Trucy sliced madly with her spear, trying to find a chink in the Grimm's armor plating, and Ainsley pulled out her sledgehammer and slammed at the Grimm's eyes like a game of living whack-a-mole. The grimm recoiled in pain, lashing out at the two wildly with both its arms and its tail. It caught Trucy with its arm and sent her flying off over by Mola. Ainsley continued hammering away until she was knocked back by the Grimm's tail. She rolled a few times before climbing to her feet once more. The scorpion Grimm lashed out its tail at the group several times, digging out the ground from underneath and sending the team all over the street. Mola got up first, readying his weapon in its crossbow mode and firing out a bolt that created a flash of light in front of the Grimm, blinding it.
"Give it all you got, Ainsley!" Mola yelled, knowing just what she had planned for the nuisance.
Ainsley transformed her hammer into its tommy gun-like form. "Alright, you piece of trash! Say hello to my little friend!" She held down the trigger, firing off volleys of bullets at the Grimm. "Haaaaaaaaah!" She relentlessly released a hail of ammo until the gun sounded a click and the smoke cleared from the muzzle, the hammer retracting back into its normal shape. "Did I get it?" She looked at the Grimm, who sat flat down, not moving a muscle.
"Let's finish it off just in case." Mola cautiously approached it with his sword out. He poked it a few times in one of its more fleshy areas. When it didn't move, Mola turned back to the rest of his team and gave a half-confident thumbs up.
"I think it's dea-"
*RAAAAAAAAAWRR*
The creature bellowed and started slowly attempting to get up. Mola turned and drove his sword deep into the fleshy part he poked earlier, and held it there until the Grimm dissipated into black smoke and ash.
"Okay. NOW it's dead." He looked at Trucy. "Now what was it that the man said about free food for a month?"
Trucy's face became almost devilish as she licked her lips and rubbed her hands together.
"It's tendie time." she whispered, turning back and eyeballing the shop owner, making sure he stayed true to his word. He gulped loudly and invited Team MGAT inside for a very-well-deserved meal.