RWBY Watches Grimm May Cry (Old)

Chapter 13: Abyss

MISSION 13: Abyss

"I wonder what is in this ship that Jaune needs so badly," Ruby commented, rubbing her chin with a hand.

"Well, the path to it was locked up tight, so I imagine it must be something very important," Pyrrha suggested. The lights began to dim. "I'm sure we're about to find out."

The episode began with Jaune entering the captain's quarters. The ghostly swords had moved upright, no longer barring the door. Inside, the Huntsman looked around the room, studying its many curios, including a large Grimm mask hanging from the ceiling, a globe resting in the corner of the ship, and a large desk placed in the middle of the floor. Behind the desk was a fancy wooden chair, and seated in it was a grinning skeleton dressed in elegant clothes with a hat baring the emblem of pirates: a skull in front of two crossed bones.

"That must've been the captain of this ship," Jaune realized.

"I guess he went down with the ship," Yang determined. "I never get why they'd do that."

"That's not actually what that means," Ozpin shook his head. "That's just a hyperbole sailors used to refer to their captain putting his entire crew over his own personal safety."

"Really?" Nora asked. "Wow, for the longest time, I thought it meant just that."

"You learn something new every day," Ren stated.

As Jaune continued to look around the quarters, he noticed a statue standing next to the globe. It was yet another statue of Mundus, and this time, he was on his hands and knees, eyes closed and mouth curved in a calm frown. His hands were stretched outwards, presenting a long rod to the Huntsman. Two golden snakes curled up and off the wooden handle, until they finally met, face-to-face.

"The Staff of Hermes," Jaune said in recognition. "I must need it for something."

"That's right!" Blake recalled. "That bridge in front of the chapel had a platform on the other side baring the symbol of the Staff of Hermes!"

"Jaune must need to bring that artifact to that insignia," Weiss deduced.

Jaune reached out, and took the Staff of Hermes in hand, sliding it into a spare sheath behind Alastor. As soon as he had done this, however, the statue's hands clamped shut, as the gem in the center of its head flashed read. Mundus's eyes opened, revealing empty sockets, before his lips and cheeks curled into a sinister smile.

"Well, that's creepy," Qrow cringed.

"What the-" Jaune grunted, before the ship began to rock and shake, forcing him to his knees. As he struggled to stand, the Huntsman watched in horror as water began to seep in from under the doorway, before more of the liquid burst through a vent in the captain's quarters, slowly flooding the room.

"What's going on?" Velvet gasped, a hand over her mouth. "What's happening?!"

"It appears that the ship is sinking," Adam grimaced.

"But the ship was sailing fine a moment ago, even with the holt in its side!" Coco pointed out. "So why has it spontaneously decided to sink?!"

"I don't think it was spontaneous," Ms. Goodwitch frowned. "Remember, the statue of Mundus opened its eyes and smiled just before the ship went under. Taking the Staff of Hermes from it must've triggered a trap of some kind."

The camera cut to show the outside of the ship, which was slowly sinking into the water. The bow of the boat went under, disappearing into the darkness of the underground lake's depths.

Back inside the captain's quarters, Jaune took a deep breath, his hands pressed up against the roof of the room, before he dove into the deep pool he was now trapped in. He swam for the door, attempting to open it, but the water pressure prevented him from doing so.

"He's trapped!" Kali cried, concerned for the Huntsman's safety.

"How is he supposed to escape?!" Tai demanded.

Jaune pounded on the door of the captain's quarters, to no avail. Then he noticed a trail of bubbles leading out of the room, through the ventilation shaft. Quickly thinking, the Huntsman swam for the opening, and with a firm push, forced his way down into the lower deck of the boat.

"Quick thinking!" Ghira praised.

"Indeed," Adam nodded. "I must give credit to this human. He's able to keep a level head, no matter the circumstances."

Jaune swam through the ship's hull, heading for a staircase at the other end of the room. As he drew close, however, suddenly, a pair of red eyes appeared out of the darkness of the door, before a Lurker rushed forward, maw open as it streamed towards Jaune's neck.

"The Lurker?!" Weiss exclaimed in shock.

"It must've been trailing Jaune from the waters!" Coco realized.

Jaune rolled his body, allowing the Lurker to blast past him. The Huntsman continued to swim down the staircase, narrowly avoiding a trio of claws fired at his back. He made his way into the bottom of the ship. To his delight, he could see the hole in the side of the boat where he entered from. But before he could swim for it, another Lurker entered through the hole, snarling at him.

"There's two of them?" Ms. Goodwitch gasped.

"Oh no!" Pyrrha began to panic. "How is Jaune supposed to get out of this one?"

Jaune looked about him in apprehension as the two Lurkers swam for him, then felt around in his coat for the first weapon he could find. He pulled out the strange machine gun he had picked up the previous episode, then aimed at the closest Grimm and opened fire. Six long projectiles, which closely resembled nails, burst from the gun's muzzle and slammed into the Lurker's head, ripping it to pieces.

"A Needlegun?" Ruby said, stars in her eyes. "That is so COOL!"

"Yeah, it is!" Sun grinned. "And there's only one Lurker left!"

The second Lurker growled, then stopped short, away from Jaune. Stretching out its paws, the Grimm fired off its claws like harpoons. In response, the Huntsman dived downwards, avoiding the projectiles, then took aim with his underwater weapon and pumped six needles into the Lurker's chest. The Grimm writhed, bringing its front limbs to its chest, then rolled upside down, before crumbling to ash.

"He won!" Velvet cheered.

"Alright!" Yang grinned.  "Vomit Boy's in the clear!"

His enemies vanquished, Jaune swam for the hole in the side of the ship, finally escaping the wreckage of the ship. The Huntsman headed for the surface, and gasped in relief as he burst from the water.

"Phew!" he panted. "That was a close call!" Jaune shook his head as he treaded water. "I don't think we're going to the beach for our anniversary after all, Ruby." The episode ended.

"Aw! Another short episode!" Nora pouted.

"That was a rather diminutive episode," Adam agreed frowning.

"Sorry!" Abe called. "But don't worry! The next episodes will be longer, I promise!"