Scene #6361: A Grimm Tale 2

Owner	Pose
Yang Xiao Long	Yang stands on a crumbling rampart, watching the large black mass of Grimm wheeling around. "Guys, you remember I was bunkered down with a team of rookies while some Grimm passed us by? Yeah, we've got a situation." Approaching by air of foot would show the scene. A huge swarm of Grimm monsters, Beowolves, Ursa Majors, some smaller Death Stalkers, weighted by some Beringals and a massive Goliath are bearing down on an old fortress, a neo-medeval affair made of stone but reinforced with metal and some old, broken bits of tech. The sky is alive with horse-like monsters, and lionlike ones with bat wings and wicked looking stingers. They're in a tight dogfight with a heavy looking, but agile airship, a small underbelly turret slicing through anything foolish enough to get too close. <Goldie, Nevermore. I'm heavily engaged up here. I can't get close.> comes the pilot's voice over local broadcast. Yang sighs. "We'll have to hope my message got through... c'mon kids, we'll get through this." she says to the small team of first years.
Solty Revant	As the Grimm close in on the old fortress, a cloud of dust can soon be seen in the distance. At first it might seem like some kind of dust storm moving in, but as it get closer - RAPIDLY gets closer - it turns out that it isn't moving, but rather something must be kicking it up! Yang might recognize such a phenomenon as Solty Revant runs at rocket-like speeds to get to Yang and the others before it is too late! <"This is Solty Revant!"> she says over her communicator as she closes in, smashing through trees and rocks and whatever else might be in her way. <"I'm almost there! Th-there sure are a lot of them!">
Orchid	Orchid isn't normally one for combat, but she's also not one to leave those she can help without trying. She's following in behind Solty, using the dust for cover as she uses her rocket surfboard. She's got a big box of drones attached to her back, but she's not deploying them quite yet, aside from a few flying drones to get a better look at the battlefield, to figure out what the best extraction angle may be.
Note	From out of the blue, a streak of golden light burns brilliantly in the distance, partially smothered by the massive flock of Grimm... but it's growing nearer and nearer. Closer and closer. FASTER AND FASTER. ANd then, the sky lights up. A few globes of blinding light burst and expand, big enough to encompass several of the black beasts. Then more and more of these explosions light up the heavens, casting intense shadows on the ground below. Dozens. Hundreds? It's hard to tell. And then, a single monster's whole body CAVES INWARDS as it plunges down towards the ground just outside the fortress. A plume of golden light trails out behind it, a sign of what's pushing it... And then, it makes meteoric impact right in the center of a gigantic massing of more Grimm with enough explosive force to kick up a brief-lived hurricane wind. The ground is TORN ASUNDER, cratering deeper than any grave, and kicking up an enormous plume of dust and debris. The shockwave will surely blow away any beast that's too close to the impact... And then, visible in the dust cloud, a small silhouette the size of a person - maybe a little smaller? - is seen moving up to the crater's edge... And a THUNDEROUS CRACK and second shockwave blows away the dust cloud, revealing the dimunitive Note standing tall at the mouth of the nasty crater she caused, her golden, spiky hair waving about in the winds of a raging yellow-golden aura that twists and blazes about her. Standing in horse stance, fists clenched evenly at her waist, she takes a step forward and shifts to a knife-hand stance... "Alright, who's next?!"
Yang Xiao Long	<Don't commit to a full battle, we need to clear an LZ and get the kids out.> radios the Bullhead pilot, as he banks out of the way of Note's entry. <Airspace is clear, I'm bringing it down at <Coordinates>. Get here ASAP.> Yang watches the dust cloud approaching, hearing Solty's voice over radio. "Hope you had your wheaties, we're in for a rough ride." she says, then shields her eyes as Note makes her entrance. "Right, time to move. Seraph, get your team moving, we'll hold off the Grimm until you're clear." Yang says over her shoulder to a Faunus girl with feathery wings clinched tight against her back. "R-Right... okay RSSN, lets move! Just like in practice." The four first years leap over the side of the ramparts and start sprinting towards the Bullhead, while Yang leaps and launches herself to join Note at the head of the crater, just as the first wave of Grimm start arriving. "Glad to have ya, Note. I still owe you a good sparring match!" she comments, as a Beringal comes roaring at her, its ape-like body launching and bringing both fists down on the blonde Brawler... only to be stopped dead by the woman's crossed arms.
Solty Revant	Solty's eyes are wide as she watches the awesome display by Note. Her running speed actually falls a bit as she covers her eyes against the explosions and shockwaves, then leaps over the crater to land beside Yang and Note. She notices Orchid floating around up there, but Orchid is obviously not a Grimm so Solty turns her attention to the flood of the monstrous beasts. She watches as Yang stops that Grimm cold and lets out an awed 'ooooh' before she smiles. "Hello Yang! I'm glad we made it in time!" she says, then turns her attention toward the Grimm horde. "Right...clear a path..." she says, then crouches like a runner at a starting line only to dash off again, kicking up more dirt and rocks in her wake. Much like the trees and boulders in her path before, Solty tries to crash her way right into the horde and crash her way through as many Grimm as she can. She holds her arms out as she runs, using her solid build and super strength to just...plow the road. It should be at least enough to clear out the smaller Grimm, and hopefully a few of the larger ones are kneecapped in the process. Where there was a cloud of dust and rock following her before, now there is a cloud of Grimm flying through the air.
Note	Getting near Note is an interesting experience. The air around her's strangely heated. That aura of hers is undoubtedly the source. Comfortably warm and a little tingly if brushed directly, but harmless. Its constant fluctuation is a source of considerable turbulence, though - the outpouring energy creates a warm wind. And that's just the energy this undersized warrior is EMANATING. The aura is wasted energy. How DRAINING that form must be... Not that Note yet shows any sign of tiring. As Solty lands she turns with a gasp, shocked... "No energy...?!" She hadn't detected Solty, so seeing the android leap off is more than a little worrisome. Yang, on the other hand, is afforded a grin. "It'll be worth the wait. I'm getting better at managing my power!" To demonstrate, she enters a forward somersault-leap into the Grimm pack, transitioning into a spinning flip-kick the moment she nears the ground, and going much the way of Solty in tearing into the monster pack. The little martial artist's movements are something else, though. Smooth, calculated, and flowing, she keeps a low center of gravity and shuffles through the pack, delivering knife-hand thrusts through hearts, battering away clawswipes with precisely targeted blows to forearms, and grabbing limbs of attacking beasts to swing them into their companions onrushing blows. It's a show of efficiency that Note's not exactly favored in this form before. Far from the brute power she's frequently wielded.
Orchid	Okay, this is better. Just hold back the monsters long enough to get to the landing zone. Orchid can emotionally manage this. Orchid rolls off of the surfboard, putting it back into storage, and opens up the box, releasing a large swarm of the classic hardhat robots that are in nearly every Megaman game. She's going to try and create an aisle among the grimm. "Yang, Note, hiya," Orchid says, a little stressed out, but doing what she can to keep it in check. "The glowy look works," she tells Note.
Yang Xiao Long	Thankfully, the Bullhead landed in the opposite direction of the horde of approaching Grimm. The first year team do take some potshots at some of the monsters that slip past, Seraph, the leader, has a long rifle, a tall human male sports a pair of SMGs with blades attached to the underside of the barrels, while a female human has what can only be described as a portable mortar. It's a long tube that she uses to huck explosive Dust shells at anything that gets close. The last member has a simple looking staff that glows with a revolver-like chamber at the apex of the haft, it rotates and locks in vials of glowing powder, using this to support her team with Dust-enhanced pseudo-magic, the faunus girl's floppy bunny ears twitching nervously as the group continue running. "We just need to keep 'em back!" calls Yang after Solty, before she grabs the Beringal's arms and uses it as a bludgeon to crush a Death Stalker. "Dont' get too deep, these things are tougher and smarter than they look!" Solty and Note's efforts manage to bring the swarm to a standstill, at least, the majority of the swarm are 'young' Grimm, freshly spawned monsters that aren't really clever in their tactics. The larger, older Grimm hang back, seeming to analyse the fighters before engaging, using a distraction of a younger Grimm to try and slash at Solty's back, or get in around the whirlwind guard of the Saiyan. The added complication of those night indestructible walking construction helmets stifles these efforts, claws raking across the tough shell-hat, not really understanding the weakpoints. Like giving a dog a tough chewtoy, these Metools are being worked over and piled on by a multitude of Grimm.
Orchid	The Mettools are smart enough to not come up when they're being chewed on. But once a grimm walks away from one, they are quick to stand up, walk a few paces, shoot a small blast of plasma, and duck back down, working the Grimm back and forth as much as possible. Or at least they're smarter when being directed by Orchid. She's keeping back from the Grimm, shields deployed, and is using her ability to 'talk' on many frequencies to direct the drones into a more effective, and frustrating, defense.
Solty Revant	"Huh? I have energy..." Solty says to Note, confused. She smiles after that. "You're warm." she says before taking off to fight the Grimm. Solty is many things. Strong, kind, steadfast...but tactical could not be included in her accolades. Even the simple tactics used by the older Grimm catch her off guard, especially since she thought they were all just mindless monsters. "Gaaaah!" Solty cries out as one of the older Grimm gets in a good slash right at her back. Sparks fly from the hit, the back of her outfit is torn open, and a bear-like set of slash marks revealing silvery workings beneath the pale Resemble skin above. Solty stumbles forward from the hit, then manages to block a few more with her arms before she starts actually fighting at least somewhat smart. She dodges in and out of the attacks by the larger Grimm, and sometimes seems to teleport between attacking one and another. Note might be able to tell that it isn't true teleportation, but a burst of incredible and instantaneous speed. She keeps charging ahead despite the force of change in her style of attack, and so her progress forward slows dramatically.
Note	"Thanks! You have no idea how EXHAUSTING this is though!" Note grunts out in an appreciative tone back at Orchid while spinning about to snap a KICK up under a Beast's jaw and send it skyward. Last time she fought the Grimm, she did indeed underestimate their ferocity and intelligence. They tore into her before she transformed... and that's probably why this time she arrived transformed to start with. The young warrior twists about acrobatically, nimbly swerving between strikes while handstanding and then batter-kicking a Beowolf in the snout and pushing it back ten feet. A second Beowolf closes in behind her and takes a swing-- Only for her tail to curl around its wrist at the last moment and freeze it comically in place. With a kiai, Note rights herself, flipping around forward and pulling the poor beast into an ALLEY-OOP so it's dragged through the air in a half circle up and over and then DOWN BEHIND HER before her tail releases and returns to behind held up freely near her back. This... is a fearsome fighting style. Approach from the front, and there's all the natural weaponry of a typical martial artist and more. And her back isn't defenseless either, thanks to the tail. But a pair of the smarter, older Beowulves come swooping in at just as she's landing and slash with their claws, catching her on the arms and sending her skidding into a pack of the youngers, who proceed to attempt to rip and tear. A few shreds of bloodied cloth from her outfit goes flying into the air from the tussle before.... "HYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" A pained, enraged kiai matches a radiant surge of Super Saiyan energy, and a solid dome-shockwave of the purest ki lashes outwards for a few seconds, scattering the entire horde. Blood runs down one of Note's arms, dripping from her fingers to the ground, but she's intact! ... And dozens of Grimm are falling to the ground around her, flailing their limbs. "These things are REALLY asking for it..." Note, thankfully, isn't simply standing there. Spreading her stance out a bit for balance and clenching her hands into fists again... "....Huuuuiiiiiiiiiiahhhhhhh!!" Her whole body's tensing, and with it comes a new SURGE of 'the glowy look' as Orchid put it. The aura doubles in size and brightness, the core of it nearest her skin taking such heat that it's practically white more than gold. The aura grows out of control in a hurry, forming arcs of golden lightning that play across the ground and weave through it like snakes. Note's lean form changes in a wave of rippling growth, arm and leg muscles expanding with a mighty flex that happens all at once. Each limb's easily gained another inch or two in circumference of muscle mass, like some miracle body-building routine from hell. Her hair, if anything, has gotten even wilder, as increased energies she's putting off cause it to part more dramatically in every direction. The sustained kiai finally quiets and she exhales a long breath... then inhales sharply. "... Hah... I was right. That IS the way to do it!" Now putting out easily twice what she was before, she levels both palms at the Grimm and-- "HAAAAAAAAAA!!" As if some titanic dam had burst, twin pillars of blue-white molten light, each as thick as redwood trees, erupt - one from each palm. A pure unleashing of energy as a brief but immense destructive wave sweeping across the battlefield... and towards the Grimm that were hanging back!
Yang Xiao Long	Seraph and her team finally reach the Bullhead, climbing aboard and taking up defensive positions so they can return the favour to their benefactors. Seraph's wings spread to stabilize her position as she starts taking aim with her rifle, firing enhanced Dust slugs to cap some of the older Grimm as they focus on Note and Solty. <Goldie, other Goldie, Handlebars and Surfboard, get over here, we're leaving as soon as you're aboard!> radios the Bullhead pilot, his underbelly turret swinging to spray bullets into the mob to provide more cover. The Metools are doing an excellent job in blocking the horde from surrounding the defenders, and their plasma shots do manage to burn enough of some Grimm to fell them, turning them into smoke as Grimm are wont to do. Solty's shift in style gets her some breathing room, but a bellowing trumpet signals this Run's leader entering the fray. A giant elephant-like Grimm comes charging at the android, wickedly sharp tusks aiming to skewer her. Yang interposes in a very direct manner, the blonde brawler seeming to appear as she impacts the side of the Goliath's head, sending it off course and into a pack of Ursa and Beowolves. "C'mon, we are LEAVING!" she bellows, shifting her course in midair so she can slam her fist into the ground and disrupt the Grimm around Solty and Note some more. "Get to the Bullhead! They're giving us cover fire!" Note's shift into 2nd Grade earns her some more attention, but no Grimm are really willing to get too close after that point blank Ki Pulse smoked the younger Grimm and sent the older ones flying back into their peers.
Solty Revant	"...handlebars?" Solty says, blinking a few times. She looks up at her hair, then reaches to pull one of those handlebars down so she can look at it. "...do they really look like that?" she wonders. She has to let it go a moment later as several Grimm leap at her, and much like Note's own hair it springs right back to where it was as if it had never moved. Then...oh wow that is a big Grimm! Solty prepares to face it, but jumps back in surprise when Yang hits it in the side and sends it off course. She blinks as Yang bellows. "Oh...okay!" she says, quickly making her way toward the Bullhead and hopping aboard. "But, shouldn't we eliminate them if we can?" she asks, then watches in awe as Note reveals herself to be a weapon of mass destruction, putting out more energy and causing more destruction than Solty has ever seen.
Orchid	Not shooting, Orchid isn't attracting much attention from the Grimm, which is the way she likes it. What attention she is getting, she can deflect with her shields. Mind you, between them, Solty and Note are providing some good distractions. Orchid gives a last instruction to the mettools. Duck and cover. "You heard the nice pilot," she shouts. "So let's get out of here!" The drones she can pick up later. As for being called surfboard, she doesn't mind. "I think the Grimm will leave if we can escape," she says to Solty. "They feed on emotions or something, so if we're not here, they won't be attracted." She's moving towards the aircraft, using her dashboots to jump and weave, zipping along like a speedrunner.
Note	"They do!" Note yells affirmingly over at Solty... though there's nothing derogatory or teasing by her tone. Just saying it how it is! Probably. She's sounding a little hoarse from the screaming... or perhaps that's exhaustion. Because as soon as the blazing energy attacks she unleashed die down, she wobbles on her feet and gasps for breath. "Wh-whoah..." A little dizzy, maybe? After a second or two of catching her breath though... the expanded muscles shrink like a deflating balloon, and the extra-angry aura dies down to the tamer golden bonfire of before. Note's power output has gone WAY down though, if anyone can sense such things... Seems that display took a LOT out of her. But weakened doesn't mean useless. After rubbing her wounded arm a bit, she simply.. lifts into the air. "Grrr... hate leaving a fight unfinished. Not that these things are that fun to fight!" Note declares in protest to the heavens, but Orchid's right and she knows it. Turning about, facing the Grimm, she reaches up with a single finger to pull down an eyelid, and blows a raspberry their way! Since she CAN fly though, she's not going to board. She'll instead fly escort for the Bullhead until it's clear of this mess.
Yang Xiao Long	Yang shakes her head, backflipping away from an Ursa that goes to grab at her. "There's too many, we'll get overrun if we stick around." she says to Solty, firing a few shots of explosive Dust into the Ursa, then turning and sprinting away. Bullets whizz past from the Bullhead, the turret spraying suppressive fire, while the team aboard continue to lob shots where they can, aiming at the closest targets to keep the defenders clear. "Ochre, get her spun up, we're not gonna have much time!" radios Yang. Orchid would arrive first, finding the team aboard and set up in defensive positions aboard the airship. Seraph, a Faunus, possibly Swan with the white wings, Stele, the human with twin SMGs, Saffron a faunus female with rabbit ears, lop-eared and droopy. The final member, a human female named Nyriad, uses her mortar like a bazooka, lobbing explosive shells over the defenders heads to keep the Grimm at bay. They each offer a thankyou to Orchid as she boards. Note's display doesn't really change anything about how the Grimm react. They're angermonsters of the highest caliber, but a Beringal that didn't get capped already, picks up a pair of Beowolves and hurls them at the flying saiyan!
Solty Revant	Solty isn't sure if it is a bad thing or not that her hair looks like handlebars, but that question is forgotten as she notices that...there is someone with bunny ears here! Solty blinks, then feels along her own ears before smiling to Saffron. "I like your ears!" she says, then looks at Seraph. "And your wings!" she adds, both said with a sunny smile. "Are you all alright?" she asks once they are moving. Solty can't do much aboard the transport unless Grimm get close enough to punch, but any that do find out just how much strength is packed into her small frame. "I'm Solty! Nice to meet all of you! I'm glad we could help!" she says to the first year students. She looks at all the weapons they are carrying, then hmms. "I wonder if I should learn how to use a weapon of some kind...I don't really like weapons, though. They're made for hurting things." She looks out the door at the Grimm. "...but, I guess if I lived somewhere like this world, I might need one."
Orchid	Once Orchid is at the airship, she gets herself set in. She can't shoot well enough now to meaningfully add to the defenses of the craft, but she still has some of her flying drones. She moves over next to Nyriad. "Five degrees to the left; there's a big bunch of the things," she advises, using her eyes in the sky.
Yang Xiao Long	Yang mounts up and takes up firing position as well, while the Bullhead lifts up off the deck and starts to rise away. Nyriad launches a final shell, before collapsing her weapon into its melee form, a hefty bat with spikes around the top. The pilot says over the internal comm. "Glad you could make it. I was getting a bit worried." Yang just chuckles. "You worry too much Ochre, you'll go grey before you're thirty at this rate."