[center][abbr=Ace Cadet][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190924/544c85ab5c75bc61a4bb5ce40dc0caa6.png[/img][/abbr]
[color=salmon]Word Count: 1124 (+2 exp)[/color]
[color=salmon][u]Level[/u]: [b]9[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 363/90
[b]Location:[/b] the Frozen Highlands[/color][/center]
Ace had tucked the smooth, opal-like stone into his pouch when none could offer insight into what it actually might be. He'd do a little experimenting later, when the group had made enough progress and were safe enough to make camp. For all he knew maybe it was just a precious gemstone, but even that would be fine. He had emptied pretty much all of his zenny (again) buying the traps and other supplies, so he definitely didn't mind holding onto something valuable in case the crew needed more cash.

He walked along with the stagecoach rather than ride inside since the pace was still slow enough as the reindrix picked their way along the path. Once they got close to where Heismay and Roxas had gone to investigate the flames up ahead, they saw their allies were safe and sound for the most part. And that they'd found the source of the fire, another person here in the zoo. She was a girl, or maybe just a short woman, with long white ribbon-tied hair who was not dressed at all appropriately for the Frozen Highland's biting cold. It didn't seem to bother her though. In fact the girl, Mokou as she'd introduce herself, was really quite casual despite all the monsters roaming around. Either she hadn't been here long, or she'd been here [i]too[/i] long, Ace figured. It was still kind of nice to find someone that wasn't afraid or panicking, despite what it might have said about the Mokou herself. The Cadet jogged up to the coach's open door and hopped up to hold onto the side so he could lean a little into the opening and offer their newest acquaintance a friendly smile.

[color=salmon]"Nice to meet you. Feel free to call me Ace. Welcome to the crew,"[/color] he told her, even if it ended up that she decided to split after her rescue operation was completed. Until then she was part of the team.

He dropped off the carriage after the brief greeting, falling only a little behind as it pulled up ahead to an area that looked like it might have been some kind of canteen in the past. While not totally thoroughly searched, Sandalphon's intuition appeared to be spot on as Mokou returned with another viking in tow. Ace blinked at the man's massive form, but if both Sectonia and Ganondorf fit fine inside the coach then this guy shouldn't be a problem.

The actual problem came later, as they began to cross over a flooded exhibit. Ace glanced down into the water, somewhat surprised it hadn't frozen over. Was it deeper than it looked, or... was something living in it that churned the water enough that ice couldn't take hold? The Seekers were already being careful as they moved, so there wasn't much else to be done besides keep going. On that note Ace extracted his Breechshot to assist in taking out the infected mandrills as far ahead of time as possible before they became more of a problem. 

There was an even bigger one already though, since it turned out that yup, there was definitely something living in the water. Something tempered by past battles, and huge enough that it had trees growing on its back, though whether for camouflage or from a sedentary lifestyle Ace couldn't guess. The way it lunged when it spotted the reindrix definitely did not suggest the latter though. Briefly the Cadet wondered if they could get out of this by just sacrificing a pal or two, but the Seekers were already bursting into action, himself included. Figuring that whoever was planning to stick close to the stagecoach would have their ranged offense covered, he swapped back to his sword and shield while Edward and Mokou detonated the makeshift bomb. Like Geralt he obviously he had melee in mind, intending to leave behind the casters and take the fight a little lower, away from the magic they were raining upon its back.

[color=salmon]"Going in!"[/color] Ace called right before jumping from the board walk. He didn't leap at the monster like Geralt had, rather it looked like he was just going to fall into the flood. Normally that would be a near suicidal course of action when faced with an aquatic predator like this, but tons of hunters were trained to fight almost as well underwater as they could on land - naturally, Ace was among that number. Not that he was going to have to do that.

The ship rigging that had been folded in close to his waist and back expanded out as the hunter hit the water feet first. After the splash it was clear he hadn't sank in, and instead was standing on top of the waves, actually skating across them already as he got close to the leviathan. The two arms of his rigging flapped and seemed to flex as Ace then turned in an arc, firing the clutch claw at the monster's snout. The hooks caught on its nostril, and as soon as the chain went taut the monster hunter gave it a mighty tug. He was under no illusion that he could keep the gator locked down for long, but he was at least strong enough to yank its teeth away from his allies for a moment, give them time to get the coach out of harm's way, to beat on it a little, and for one of them to pull Geralt from the drink.

The alligator's maw jerked harshly towards the Cadet, dragging its head and neck with it. The hunter's gaze flicked around the parts of its body that weren't submerged. Normally a leviathan's weakest parts were its underbelly where the armor scales weren't as tough, though that was going to be a bit hard to reach while it was in the pool. Maybe they could drag it up onto land then, give themselves an advantage. Since they'd attacked it the monster was going to try and chase them down to finish the fight either way, so the best option might be to put it down here rather than risk fleeing with this thing behind them. Plus, well... those alabaster scales could end up making something pretty cool, if they got a hold of its spirit. Ace couldn't help but grin a little.

At present though Ace kept a hold on the chain, straining to hold the beast until it ceased trying to get at its quickly escaping lunch. Since the hunter clearly wanted the veteran leviathan's attention, it gave it to him - and only then did Ace release the claw and let his slinger reel itself in. With his weapon in hand he was more than ready to take the giant gator head on.