“I’m as far back as I can get,” she sent, hoping they were still listening.

All was quiet.

“Fox?” Coco said. “Hello?”

“Stand back, Coco!” Velvet sent.

“Velvet?”

Then the worm flooded with a bluish light as a glowing line sliced through the worm, only two inches away from Coco’s face. As it passed, she realized it was a replica of Brawnz Ni’s claw weapons.

She stumbled backward as the weapon faded. A beam of sunlight appeared on the ceiling and spread quickly down the curved walls and along the floor, widening as the tough skin and flesh and sinew separated—as Velvet pulled them apart. She had hacked and slashed all around the creature and then let it pull itself apart as it tried to dive under the ground. The front portion of the worm disappeared into the sand in front of Coco, spewing ichor that turned the sand black.

Coco leaped out of the remains of the worm, falling right into Velvet’s arms.

“Coco!” Velvet called. “Are you all right?”

“Do I look all right?” Coco asked.

Velvet wrinkled her nose, holding her friend at a distance. “Um.”

Coco reached into her belt and retrieved her sunglasses. She slid them on.

“That’s better.” Velvet smiled.

“Thank you,” Coco said. “I always thought Brawnz’s weapons sucked.”

“The right tools for the right job, I always say.” Velvet winked. “I’m glad you made it out of there. And thank you for saving me first.”

“Who’s keeping count?” Coco asked.

Fox came over and slapped her on the back. I am, he sent.

Coco looked at Velvet. “That was a really good plan. Better than anything I could have come up with.”

Velvet blushed happily.

- RWBY: After the Fall, Chapter 18