Island of Adieu

The boat lurched, a strong wave struck the side of the ship, making some of the passengers lose their footing. Marcus held his cane tight between his legs, using it to steady himself. The waves were choppy, and the Kingdom of the Vale was a long distant visage, fargone in the horizon.

"Where do you think we're going?" Lulu asked, her hands were shaking, knees crumpled with her sitting lopsided on the deck.

"Hopefully an Island. I'm not a very good swimmer." Marcus looked fearfully into the water, then his leg. Eyes darting between the two.

"Me neither, I've never swam in my life. What's it like?" Lulu asked with wide eyes, her hands finding balance on the railings in a feeble attempt to lift herself.

"What? Drowning or swimming. For me they are kind of the same thing. Drowning is probably the second most horrible experience I've ever had."

"What's the first?" Lulu asked warily.

"My ex girlfriend Gaia Lyons." Marcus shuddered, and Lulu looked unhappy with that response.

Team BLCK had been together for the better part of a week, they didn't really know each other. It was only surface level stuff, Marcus was reserved, Lulu had tried getting to know him better, but he often disguised possible internal revelations with dry wit and bad humour. Marcus wasn't much of an asker, he prefered talking, running his mouth with all sorts of drivel and nonsense that Lulu didn't fully understand. He was especially fond of name dropping, Lulu got that Marcus was an 'important' person in society, and he was consistent in mentioning his wealthy friends and exquisite women he'd 'bedded'.

"So, from what I've seen on the map, we are heading to a little Island training sight way out in the middle of the sea." Charles came around the corner, eyes squinted peering into map trying to find further clues.

Then there was Charles. Lulu found that he was quite goofy, for such a large, by-the-book, ex-soldier. He was awfully fond of day dreaming. Sometimes forgetting to respond to her, instead thinking up some answer in his head. They often clashed however, his ideology was that all things can be explained by science, to say she didn't believe that would be an understatement. But she had found that out of the other two. Charles was definitely the most caring, he would ask her how her days went, sit with her during lunch, and help her study. The other two kept their distance on their own time.

"And as I said, you are probably wrong, McPhee wouldn't be so obvious. Any dim wit such as yourself could pick up on that. Plus, you don't even know what direction we are heading in." Kusuri snatched the map from his hands rolling it and quickly swatting his head.

Finally, Kusuri Ketsuki. She was enigmatic and overall confusing. Lulu did not understand her motivations, she seemed to wear a different face when talking to each person on her team. She was profoundly rude when confronting Charles, overbearingly sweet to Lulu, and overly flirtatious with Marcus. Lulu couldn't quite get a read on the fiery red head. Which is what worried her the most. For a girl who wears too many faces, loses the one that truly fits her.

"Umm Kusuri." Lulu raised her hand, Kusuri slowly turned to look at the quiet emerald haired girl.

"Yes, Dear?" She said, unfurling the map in a swift motion.

"I think Charles is correct." Lulu leaned back, pointing towards a distant body on the horizon.

"Still an idiot." The fiery girl scowled as she bended over the railing to see the faraway isle.

Overhead, a public announcement system screeched to life, followed by the sound of an older women clearing her throat.

"Students, we are about to anchor off the shore of Adieu Island. I want all of you to report to the front deck where you will be briefed." McPhee's ominous and slow voice creeped out of the machines, it made Lulu's skin feel like a dozen prickled spider's legs brushed her skin.

The four of them walked (Marcus hobbled) all the way to the bow of the large ship. A collection of teams, BLCK, CFVY, WHIT, and many others they had not met yet. All stood at attention, McPhee, drifted towards the center of the deck. Despite the sweltering heat, she still wore a full ancient themed dress. Her pale face appeared to be burning against the harsh sun.

"Students, many of you will remember being told about this as first years. But I will refresh your memories. As you all should know, my class is Grimm Studies, our current topic, aquatic Grimm species. This island is a hotspot for younger Grimm species to flock too, as many rich travelers pay to holiday on this island, they hope to catch a bite out of an unsuspecting diver. Your task, as teams, is to track and hunt as many different species as you can. The winners of this competition, gets an A* for the rest of the semester."

Hearing news like this came as an immediate shock to the students, McPhee is known as a notoriously harsh grader. Getting an A* guaranteed for the first semester was a god send. Those not gifted in Academic studies could get a free pass for the first school term. The concept of such a reward made everyone's eyes light up.

"In keeping spirit with one of Ozpin's signature tricks." McPhee waved her hand. The front of the ship shifted, lifting upwards to reveal that it is actually a large catapult. "You will land near the beach, swim towards the Island and start your challenge. You will be on that island for two days, all of the houses and structures were removed so as to increase your challenge. Have fun kids."

The catapult continued to draw, preparing for a wide launch to send the students hurtling towards the island. A look of fear grew upon Marcus' face, his eyes darting between the open sea, and the beach far off in the distance. He turned to his partner.

""Kusuri!" He shouted her name, she flinched at the sudden racket.

"What is it?" She touched his hand, taking it firmly within her own.

"Please just don't let me drown. I can't swim. Just don't let me…~!" The catapult lurched forwards, Kusuri lost her footing, her fingers untangled from his own. They were sent skyward.

Kusuri reacted instantaneously, her hands thrown backwards to try and catch his once more. Her body twisting like an acrobat, her hand scratched his as it missed. She was sent farther and farther away from him, her lighter frame making her go much faster than him. A few seconds later, her body submerged within the great blue.

Her eyes opened under the sea, her eyes blurred and her mouth stung as the salt water rushed past her lips. Swimming to the top she surfaced for air, madly searching for any sign of her partner. The flailing bodies and water getting thrown up in the air made it damn near impossible to see anything. She treaded water, turning rapidly in circles to find a trace or hint.

As people began to pass her, she saw nothing. He must have already been under the water! She dove down, her eyes flashed red, the water became clear, with a red tint like cherry wine. She saw all the fish scramble away from the sudden burst of colour. Seeing nothing, she swam back to the top. He must have gotten to shore!

Kusuri quickly swam towards the beach, as she dragged herself up the sand she looked around. Finding a soaked Lulu and Charles gasping for breath further up the white beach. She quickly got on her feet and lumbered towards them.

"Where's Marcus?" She asked in a half panic.

"No idea." Lulu replied sweetly.

"I thought he was with you?" Charles responded.

"We got separated! He can't swim!" Kusuri pressed the flats of her palms against her face. Pushing the stray red hair away from her face. She looked out towards the beach, every other student was accounted for, except their team leader. "Where is he!?" She screamed unintentionally, in a state of panic.

She saw a figure wash up from the beach. It dragged itself forwards coughing up water and blood as it slowly surfaced on its legs. Holding in his hand, a black snapping creature. Looking up, a large gash was spread out across his face, starting from the forehead going straight through his eye to the bottom of his chin. His eye was rammed shut, and torrents of blood seeped from it.

"Currently in the lead." He growled dropping the creature on the floor before repeatedly stamping on it with his bad leg. Kusuri ran towards him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. She helped him get further up the beach.

"Holy… What happened to your eye?!" Charles was dumbstruck, the pretty boy with the black hair laughed before opening his eyelid.

"This Grimm fish thought it was a tasty snack." In his socket, his eye had been deeply cut, and was almost unrecognisable. "Here's hoping he punctured a lung!" Marcus raised an imaginary glass before collapsing face first in the sand.

Blood seeped into the white dust, revealing he had sustained dozens of other wounds in the short swim to the Island. As quickly as the blood drained it began to evaporate in blue light. Leaving a smoky trail in its absence. Just as fast as he collapsed, Marcus got back up. The scratch on his face completely healed, the cuts all over his body miraculously disappeared. He shook his face a few times before looking at his teammate.

"What was that?!" Charles asked in disbelief. Completely dumbstruck by what he had just seen.

"I don't know, I thought it was a lung, could have been my heart though." Marcus felt around his chest with an inquisitive look on his face.

"You scared me! I looked everywhere for you!" Kusuri shrieked, punching his chest, knocking the wind out of him.

"Clearly not, you didn't find me!" He seized gasping for air. Kusuri began kicking Marcus while he was down.

"ENOUGH!" Charles shouted, seizing Kusuri by the shoulders, removing her from Marcus. "Unless you guys didn't notice. A. We are on an Island. B. We have no weapons. And C. We have no shelter. Surely you can find it in your hearts to prioritise the right thing to do!" Charles let go of the red head. She puffed up her chest, but let the matter slide.

"I…" Lulu paused, raising her hand to speak, the other three stared at her. "I think I could help."

Charles heaved throwing down the last tree. He looked around, Kusuri had started a fire, using her dust tattoos to ignite a small pit with warming flames. Lulu was right behind him, a faint smile on her face. She pressed her hands against the large pile of wood. Then there was Marcus… He lounged beneath a palm frond, using it to shade himself from the sun.

"Really?" Charles shouted towards him, throwing his hands up in the air.

"You have no idea how easily my skin burns! Would you rather have me complaining, or functional?!" Marcus preached back, Charles groaned, knowing it was probably for the best.

"So, why did we need all this wood?" Charles collapsed on the sand, wiping away the beads of sweat that collected on his brow.

"So I could make a shelter." Lulu responded, not taking her eyes of the wood.

"You? By yourself? What are you going to do?" Kusuri laughed, sizing up the small and weak frame of the elegant green haired girl.

"I'm just… Visualizing." Lulu outstretched her hand, the small circles forming on her palms made contact with the wood. She ran her hands all over the logs, covering almost each one top to bottom.

The process lasted twenty minutes, the sun was starting to set, Kusuri poked her dwindling kindle with a piece of driftwood before tossing the piece in, prolonging the fire. Finally, Lulu smiled, breaking her concentrated silence.

"I got it." Lulu clapped her hands rather suddenly. She made a raising motion with her right hand, and then her left.

The wood quickly began to remold its shape, all the logs morphed and fused together in an ungodly fashion. But almost as quickly as they began to reshape. Lulu clapped her hands once more, and it stopped. The end product, was a average sized shack, no windows, no door, but it was a roof.

"Fuck, dude, did you see that?!" Terra spilled the coconut juice from her mouth. Jackson, upon getting a view of what happened. Let go of the log he held. The improvised shelter he was building quickly collapsed.

"You know you could help?" He fell to his knees sighing.

"Nonon isn't." Terra went back to her project in the sand. "Also, I'm working on the shelters aesthetic. I don't see anyone else building sand castles!" Terra, used her earthbending semblance to create large exterior sand castles, almost larger than she is tall.

Lulu saw Terra building from across the beach. She was curious about the structures the other girl had formed. Lulu pressed her hands against the beach, she felt its composition, the sand was fine and white. It slipped through her fingers easily.

"Kusuri?" Lulu asked without looking back.

"Yes?" The red head lazily answered back.

"Could you bring me something that's burning?"

"Sure." Kusuri took her sweet time, eventually coming to Lulu's side with a plank still flickering with cinder.

Lulu took the plank in hand, laying it beside the sand. Lulu ran her hand through the dwindling flames, and the other through the sand. Quickly Lulu did her usual routine. In an instant, a glass javelin emerged from the sand. Kusuri fell backwards startled by the sudden appearance of the weapon. The glass was hardly perfect, it was green and clouded, tainted by imperfections in the sand. Kusuri grasped the weapon, ripping it from the sand. Its points were beyond sharp. Kusuri theorized it could penetrate flesh easily. She just needed to test it…

"Hey Marcus?" Kusuri called, turning back towards their camp.

"What is it Sugar?" Marcus smirked getting out of his make shift chair.

"You wouldn't mind holding this for me, would you?"

There was something different in the girl's eyes, they flickered red, she took a running start, trailing the javelin behind her, swinging her arm with amazonian power. The lance left her fingers and quickly impaled Marcus through the chest throwing him off his feet and landing on his back with a crash.

"Awww it broke didn't it." Marcus groaned, using his arms to remove what was left of the spear. The spear crumbled, small shards of glass going back into the open wound. "And its inside me. So gross."

"KUSURI! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Charles stumbled back in shock, he crawled over to Marcus grabbing his hand. "Don't worry I'm here, help will be coming!" Tears were almost starting to form in Charles' eyes, when Marcus started laughing, weakly, but still chuckling.

"I can't believe these are gonna be final words, but… Chuck... I'd like you more if you were a woman." Marcus quickly expired after that. His hand went limp, and his head lulled to the side. Mouth still wide from laughing.

"Don't worry about it. I learnt about this night one." Kusuri pulled Charles away, who was still dumbfounded by shock.

Marcus' body began to glow a faint blue, the light washed over his wound and wispy sapphire vapours seeped from his stomach. The three teammates watched silently, as the wound sealed itself, and his body began to stir once more. He leaned upwards, a slack jaw expression on his face. He stretched his neck and arms, his shoulders cracked as his eyes opened.

"You know, it's times like these I wish I was a masochist." Were the first things out of his recently revived mouth. "At least I'd get off on it."