Leaning against the wall as Micah took command of the boat, Kagami softly exhaled while keeping her arms crossed. "You can drop my friends and I off on the south east part of Solitas. We'll be able to find our way to Mantle from there. There should be enough power Dust in the legitimate crates for you and the others to power the ship and make it to Menagerie."
"Are you sure you will be fine in the harsh and cold environment?" The horse Faunus glanced back with furrowed eyebrows. "We could just go and drop you off in Vytal."
She shook her head back. "No. We'll be fine. We'll make do. You just need to get yourself and the others to safety away from those..." She trailed off and sighed. "Just get everyone as far away from Atlas as fast as you can."
He softly scoffed, shaking his head a bit while slightly hanging over the controls. "You're quite the unique one, you know? You and your friends are... are you sure the four of you are licensed Huntresses?" He raised an eyebrow towards her.
"Well..." She reached up, scratching the back of her head with a faint chuckle. "You see..." She sighed her head lowering slightly before she stumbled from the ship shaking. "Wait, what was that?" She balanced herself, quickly looking out the windows.
"Something not good..." Micah trailed off, his shoulders dropping as his eyes went wide. His head tilted back at the large Grimm that came out of the water and towered above them.
"Oh shit..." The small girl with horse ears stared with terrified eyes at the serpent like Grimm. "That's... a Sea Feilong... it's so big..." She swallowed heavily.
"Autumn! Language!" He snapped, gritting his teeth as he gripped the controls to the ship. His eyes grew wider as the beast began to open its mouth. A bright orb growing with sparks dancing around it. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He shouted, quickly turning the ship as fast as he could.
"Just keep driving! Or commanding! Whatever someone does when controlling a boat!" Kagami shouted, darting out the door. She took a deep breath, inhaling as much as she could before jumping off the bridge of the ship and landing on top of a crate. "Come on... faster, faster." She mumbled to herself while sprinting across the crates. Seeing the ball of energy being fully charged, she launched herself into the air with a faint cry. Reaching behind her back, she drew her sword. Switching into a reverse grip, she pressed her feet against the flat side of the blade. Her left hand pressing against the flat side of the tip.
The ball of energy firing into a bright beam that collided with the sword. The weapon humming softly as it absorbed the blast. "Hang... on..." She gritted her teeth, her weapon beginning to gain a red glow against the beam. Beginning to be pushed back, she flashed her teeth while closing her eyes. Letting out a scream, she was sent flying back onto the ship's deck as the blast faded away. The Feilong letting out a quiet sound before sinking back into the water and hiding from view.
Tumbling across the deck, Kagami grunted heavily as her back collided with a shipping crate. The metal bending against the impact. Sitting on the floor while hunching forward, she let out a low groan as her aura fizzled away completely.
"Kagami!" Elise shouted, sprinting between the crates before sliding on her feet next to her friend. "Are you okay?" She quickly said while reaching out.
"Yeah... yeah... I think..." She muttered, slightly dazed as she was pulled up. Rubbing her head, she quickly glanced around. "Where did it go?"
"It dove back into the water." Keeping an eye on the open sea, Cheyenne rushed over with Kris . "I can't tell where it-" She stopped, her eyes going wide.
The Feilong's head breaking the surface of the water as it shot upward. Its body following. With a roaring cry, its larger fins expanded into wings. Flapping them, a burst of wind pushed against the ship, setting it off course. Waving its tail, it shot forward towards the ship. Rather than diving straight into it, it dove into the water at a slight angle. It's head popping back up as it began to spiral around the ship.
"Um, guys!" Kris shouted in a panic, her eyes wide as she stared up at the large Grimm. "I think it's trying to crush us!"
Gritting her teeth, the leader of team MACE tensed up before pointing. "Chey, Kris, shoot it and knock it off its course. Don't stop firing until it retreats back into the water." As the two nodded and began to do such, she turned her last teammate. "I need my hoodie back."
"What?" Elise blinked with a raised eyebrow. "This isn't the time for you to get picky that I snatched your hoodie! There's a huge Grimm trying to kill us right now!"
"I know that!" She quickly sat before clenching her jaw. She glanced at the Feilong, seeing it pull away and dive back into the water from her team's attacks. The action causing waves to knock the ship around. "That thing shot my aura with one hit. I need a way to at least partially protect myself."
"Right... right." She nodded while exhaling before quickly pulling the green hoodie off. She then tossed it to her leader before pushing up the sleeves on her plaid shirt. "So what's the plan?" She asked as her leader slid the hoodie on.
Quietly thinking to herself, the jadette glanced around for a moment before picking up her sword and sheathing it. "When it comes back up, fire at it. The same goes for you, Chey." She eyed the Faunus before looking at the redhead. "I need one of your weapons."
Kris blinked, raising an eyebrow before nodding and tossing the candy cane weapon in her left hand to her. "What are we going to do?"
"Cut its wings off. Just follow my lead." Pulling her hood up, she softly exhaled while narrowing her eyes at the bump forming in the water at the front of the ship. "I just... have no room for a mistake this time." She swallowed slightly.
"Be careful." Elise muttered, loading a yellow dart into her rifle.
"Can't promise." She flashed a grin, while readying herself. Watching the large Grimm slowly rise out of the water once again. It's height towering above the ship. "Let's go!" She shouted, running towards the front of the ship with Kris at her side.
Separating the curved edge and the straight part by the chain, both girls tightly gripped the candy cane shaped weapons. As the two jumped off the edge of the ship, they tossed the curved edge of the weapons forward and used them to latch onto the Feilong's wings near its body. Glancing at each other, they both nodded before pressing their feet against one another. Pushing off as hard as they could, they both swung around the beast. Meeting at the top, they eyed each other with a grin before tugging on the chained weapons as they pulled themselves downwards.
Retracted the chains as they both pushed the blades out, the two both slid down its scaly back with the blades digging into the point where its wings connected to its body. It let out a pain roar, its wings disappearing into nothing but smoke. Stumbling, the two girls then both quickly began to run back up its body. Lighting dancing across it from the two snipers' shots. Coming up to its head, it jerked its head at the same time they both jumped off. Slightly off balance, the two began to fall.
"Oh no..." Kagami's eyes widened faintly at the realization she was a few feet short of making it back to the ship. Gritting her teeth, she reached out with her left arm while preparing to use the candy cane weapon to catch herself.
Though, before she did, a hand caught her wrist. As she glanced up, she eyed Kris who was hanging onto the front of the ship and dangling like her. The redhead flashed a smile, chuckling softly. "I think that went well." Her smile turned into a grin as she helped her leader back onto the ship before hauling herself over.
She rolled her eyes, tossing her friend back her weapon. "Yeah, well-" Her eyes widened as she went to draw her sword. "Get back!" Holding her weapon in a reverse grip, she braced herself as she blocked another blast of energy from the Feilong. Gritting her teeth, she closed both her eyes while lowering her head. Her feet sliding back slightly before the beam faded away. Exhaling, she stumbled forward slightly with heavy breaths. "I'm not sure how many more times I can do that..." She muttered out of breath.
"We'll get to work then." Kris smiled with a reassuring nod.
"Right..." She slowly stood back up straight. "Think you can handle slashing away at it by yourself? It can't fly anymore so the worst it can do is dive back under."
"I'll do my best." She nodded again before twirling her dual weapons. Extending them with the chain, she latched back onto the creature before pulling herself upward.
Glancing back at her two other teammates, Kagami took a deep breath before pointing. "Try to freeze its mouth shut! If one of those blasts hit the ship, it's going to sink and we'll be done for!"
"Aye, aye, captain!" Elise chuckled, reloading her rifle with an ice Dust dart.
Cheyenne rolled her eyes, switching the setting on her rifle to ice as well. Her eyes locked on Kris as she swung around the beast while slashing at it. "Well..." She muttered while taking aim. "You guys didn't want this trip to be boring."
"Fighting a giant Grimm that I have never seen before was not part of the plan!" The brunet shouted back while flashing her teeth. Her finger gently squeezing the trigger as she fired a dart. It hitting the Feilong's tongue which was soon encased in ice.
The Faunus grinned, shooting several blast towards it. One striking its jaw as the others hit its teeth. Ice freezing over the areas slowly. Both girls firing more rounds as it struggled, the ice breaking away in different places.
Annoyance soon shadowed over the Feilong's movements. Its body twisting and turning in anger and aggravation. The ice crunching in its mouth as it hissed and pulled back from slashes from Kris' weapons. Letting out a low growl, it clearly had enough as its eyes lit up. Waiting for her to swing around again, the Grimm twisted its body. Its arm swinging around and backhanding the young redhead out of the air. Her body going limp as she began to fall. Her aura fizzling away.
"No, no, no..." Watching her fall, Kagami turned around on her heels about to sprint towards her. She then spotted Elise who was sprinting across the deck while putting her rifle away. She blinked once, her shoulders lowering slightly.
Panting softly, the brunet hauled herself on top of a crate before jumping into the air. With her arms spread out, she grunted as Kris' body collided with her's. She quickly wrapped her arms around her, closing her eyes as she was forced backwards from the redhead's momentum. With a loud thud, her back crashed into a metal crate that dented on impact. She heavily groaned, pushing her teammate off her as she brought one knee up an slouched forward. Her aura disappearing as Kris' weapons clattered to the ground next to her.
Staring for a moment, the jadette quickly looked around for an idea only to turn back around and block another beam coming from the Feilong's mouth. The ice now melting away. Breathing heavy as it vanished, she dropped to one knee with wide eyes.
"Kagami!" Cheyenne shouted, rushing over. A hint of panic and fear in her voice. "Kagami, what are we supposed to do!? How are we supposed to beat this thing!?"
Taking several deep breaths, the leader of team MACE went quiet. She stared at the floor, her eyes wide as she clenched her jaw. After a few seconds, she inhaled sharply before slowly standing up. "We can't." She said plainly, sliding her sword back into its sheath.
"What...?" The Faunus blinked a few times. "What do you mean...?" She trailed off.
Clenching her jaw tight, Kagami flashed her teeth as her shoulders squared. Her head lowered slightly as her hair casted a shadow across her face. Her hands tightening into fist as she heavily exhaled through her nose. "We can't beat it." She repeated, going silent for a moment. "Baren!" She suddenly shouted, closing her eyes as her voice shook. "I need help! I can't beat this thing! I don't know what to do!"
Still calmly sitting on top of the ship, the old warrior very faintly smiled. "I was wondering how long it would take you to admit that." She scoffed before exhaling. Her expression quickly changing from neutral to serious as her pink eyes narrowed.
"What?" Cheyenne blinked in confusion, glancing at her leader before looking up at the pinkette.
Calming rising to her feet, Baren didn't even stumble as the ship rocked back and forth from the waves. She slid a foot back, pushing off with a heavy grunt. Her feet landed on top of a metal crate with a clink before she began to sprint across them. Her feet pattering against it. As the Feilong began to charge another electric beam, she launched herself into the air. The crate below her denting. No even bothering to draw her weapon, she placed her arm in front of her eyes. The blast striking her. It pushed her back as she landed on the deck. Her wooden sandals scraping against it. As the beam faded away, she stood up straight and untouched with narrowed eyes. Her clothing and hair fluttering as a visible pink aura embodied her.
"W-Wait!? What?!" The deer Faunus stuttered slightly before looking towards her leader for answers.
Faintly smiling as she glanced up, Kagami softly exhaled as her shoulders relaxed. "Have you ever seen an experienced and fully trained Huntress fight?" She eyed her.
"No...?" She raised an eyebrow.
The jadette smiled just a little more before looking back at her mentor. "You'll love this."
Glaring up at the beast, Baren reached down. Resting her hand against the handle of her ninjato, she took a few soft breaths before drawing the weapon. Holding it behind her, she darted forward at high speeds. Jumping off the front of the ship, she launched herself straight towards the Grimm. Spinning her blade around, she held it in a reversed grip as she stabbed it and began to spiral down while cutting away at its hard exterior.
"I... I don't..." Cheyenne blinked before shaking her head. "How exactly does her semblance work? And why is she glowing?"
"Her semblance makes her skin indestructible." The jadette watched closely at the movement's the old warrior took as she cut away at the beast. "With her skin like that, there's no need for her to activate her aura to block something. So her aura stores and builds up inside her. If she's focused on fighting enough, since her aura is so strong, it gains a physical form."
"That... that's insane..." She trailed off, her eyes widening in awe. "Should... we help?"
"No..." Kagami mumbled back, glancing away. "It's fine."
Twisting onto the Feilong's back, Baren kept her blade deeply embedded inside it. She then began to run up its spine, leaving a deep red and glowing gash. Pulling it out, she let out a warrior's cry as she slashed downward. One of its arms falling off and disappearing into smoke. Midair, she blinked once and glanced over. Its other hand swinging around and smacking her straight into the water with a splash.
"Kagami!" Cheyenne looked at her leader before stepping ahead. "She needs-" She was cut off, stumbling a bit as her wrist was grabbed.
"It's fine." She repeated, holding onto her wrist tight. She kept her head low. "Just watch."
She blinked, looking back at the water. As the Feilong began to charge a shot once again from its opened mouth, it waved its tail slightly. From it, a soaking wet Baren was launched into the air. Her ninjato sheathed. Landing on its back, she darted up it once again. She then reached out, grabbing one of its whiskers as she jerked the head to the side. The electric beam narrowly missing the ship. She exhaled, releasing it while swinging around to stand on its head before reaching down and drawing her weapon again.
Switching to a reverse grip, she drove the blade deep through the armor plating of the Grimm. It thrashed, attempting to knock her off the no avail. With her pink aura still glowing, she narrowed her eyes as it glared up at her and snarled. She rolled her eyes, twisting the blade as her fingers wrapped tighter around it. "You starve today." Her voice was low and completely monotone. Jerking it to the left, its masked cracked as it cried out in pain.
As it began to break, she pulled the blade out before going in for a wide slash at the Feilong's weak spot. The blade cutting through it like butter. The head falling off and disappearing into smoke. Its body following as she jumped away. Landing on the boat in a crouch, she slowly stood back up while sheathing her ninjato. Exhaling, her pink aura faded away as she narrowed her eyes at Kagami. Calmly, she stepped towards her.
Glancing at her, the jadette looked away. She clenched her jaw while her hands balling into tight fists. Slowly, she dropped down to her knees as she put her arms in front of her head.
"What went wrong?" Baren asked calmly while standing in front of her, her arm resting across her chest.
Kagami heavily swallowed, closing her eyes. "I let my emotions get the better of me. Which drew in a Grimm the size I've never seen before and wasn't prepared to fight. Not to mention used all my energy and focused too hard on taking control of this ship."
"Good." The pinkette gave a nod, her hair and clothes dripping onto the deck. "Don't forget that. Failure will always be your best teacher. Don't let this happen again. I won't always be here on your little adventures. Learn from this." She stepped aside, letting her arm fall as she began to walk away. She then tossed her arm, glancing back. "I'm also drenched. Fix it before we get to Solitas!" She demanded before walking on.
Exhaling, the jadette slowly pushed herself up to her knees. She sat there for a moment, staring at the scuff marks on the deck. "Yes, Baren..." She mumbled softly before standing up as she slid her hood down. Her green hair falling freely out.
Blinking, Cheyenne glanced around a bit before reaching up to rub her forehead. "Maybe we should have stayed in Vale..." She muttered under her breath with a sigh before heading over towards her teammates.