A Harpoon and a Saw

[Deleted]

People stared as the tall, silver haired man passed. Not because of the small horns. Slight changes were fairly normal to most. It wasn't really the fact that his fist was extending from his wrist on a metal pole. That was also acceptable, if a bit higher on the odd meter. The fact that he was extending it and popping it back, the clinking noises staying in tune with his whistling? It was a general consensus that this was just a bit odd. Odd, and rather annoying. However, he was striding rather quickly, and anyone who would have commented decided not to. People wearing the symbol of the Marines on their back had this effect.

Ironically, Flynn Toctic was not actually a high ranking Marine. His lab coat, while bearing the Marine Logo on the back, was not technically a combat uniform. Everyone who had thought to bring this up, however, had decided that arguing with the man who was sketching things to implant into his own stomach was not a argument they really wanted to have.

Flynn, still oblivious to the confused looks being tossed in his direction, fished around in an inside pocket, and removed a letter. Adjusting his thin lenses, so they settled on his nose in a more comfortable position, he flicked his eyes over it once more. "Hmm, yes, yes, ""In light of your new abilities, the Science Corp has"", No.." As he strode forward, scratching his head, his other arm reached up and scratched beneath one horn. "Strawberry Hill is supposedly harboring a non-sanctioned Cyborg.." He smiled, tapping the letter. "There we are... Ah-ah, Harpoon gun, diving suit. People do love their themes." With a shrug, the letter disappeared, and, turning on his heel, he cupped his hands to his mouth.


"EXCUSE ME! I'M LOOKING FOR THE WALKING BARREL WITH A GUN! ANYONE SEEN HIM?"

The locals all stopped, totally bewildered at the strangely cheery, and, apparently, tactless man that had just yelled from the middle of the square. Flynn, however, merely grinned in what he supposed was a friendly manner. They had told him being friendly with the locals would help with PR. Apparently this was something he was supposed to be concerned with. Like "Teamwork", Or "Budgets" Or "Property Damage". He chuckled a bit to himself. If they want to avoid property damage, they wouldn't have given him chainsaws, would they?

[Vio]

Boredom. That was really all there was for the steam-powered diving suit that was Augustus Savoie. His dream to sail the seas as a pirate was still just out of reach for him. Few decent pirates had entered Strawberry Hill recently, as far as he knew, and until he could find someone with a decent attitude who would accept him, Augustus was not going anywhere. He wasn't exactly capable of getting a ship and sailing out on his own.

I really do hope something interesting happens soon. I'm tired of the weaklings and cowards who call themselves pirates. Honestly? Not a single man has even so much as scratched this suit, and all the others just run in terror as soon as they see me. Great Pirate Era? Right. Augustus rambled to himself within his mind as his bulky body plodded through the town.

The citizens of Strawberry Hill both feared and respected him in an unusual way. Many had learned the hard way that Augustus was not a man to be insulted or trifled with. Though he never hurt people intentionally, he still caused a lot of damage when on one of his frustrated rampages.

If it were even possible to die of boredom, I think I might have done so already. I can't- His internal rant came to an abrupt halt as he heard someone shout out something rather insulting from a little way away. How dare he. A walking barrel? Does that imbecile even know how much effort I put into making this suit? Doctor Deane worked hard to convert it, though I admit he could have done better. But, that's not the point! I'll have to teach him a lesson that he won't be forgetting any time soon!

Augustus lethargically turned, his engines pumping hot water and steam through his legs as he trotted along, his heavy feet thumping the ground with each, slow step. As he turned the corner of the street, Augustus' eyes locked onto the target, a silvery-haired man several inches shorter than himself, albeit with horns and very peculiar arms. People turned to see the walking diving suit, some merely took steps back, others quickly walked away. A normal welcome for him.

So, you're the one who shouted that insulting sentence? Hah, and you think I look unusual? Have you even seen yourself in a mirror lately? Augustus blabbered on inside his head, but his public voice was incomprehensible, probably just a string of jumbled and fragmented consonants as his weakened body attempted to blurt out what was in his mind. He continued his approach for a moment as he growled and babbled hauntingly, stopping around five yards from his target as he observed the horned man through the glass window of his helm.

[Deleted]

As the sounds of heavy footsteps echoed behind him, the silverette spun on one foot. His other foot kicked forward, giving the appearance of the world's most irritating ballerina. That, or someone who just doesn't pay attention to other people's opinions. His mouth pressed into a satisfied grin, and he chuckled slightly as he walked a bit closer to the mammoth pirate. "And they said my methods wouldn't get results."

Dusting his hands, which, oddly, appeared to have leather lines across the palms, quite literally stitched into place, Flynn smiled. "So! Veeeery interesting approach! I personally would have avoided the lumbering, low-budget horror look, but I'm eager to see if I'm wrong!" Leaning back and forth, the Marine's eyes swept over the construction, lingering on the gun and harpoon. "Hmmm. I get the feeling you're intended as a slow, high damage unit. " The surrounding crowd, who were currently pushing remarkably quickly into the alleyways around the square, could only gape as the skinny man pranced around the larger cyborg, hands behind his back.

Stopping in place, Flynn brought his arms into a ready stance. From the extreme length, it was fairly clear he was a Longarm Tribe Human. With a flick, serrated chains slid out from concealed spools. Looping around the ends of his oversized arms, they slid into an opening at the other side of his first elbow.

Now armed, Flynn hopped back. "Well then, I believe I'm supposed to fight you or some such. On that topic, I would simply love to steal some bits from you. While rather poor quality, the overall theory has merit." A polite smile on his face, he revved his chainsaws, and gave a shrug. "Unfortunately, I've been informed this may sting a bit."

[Vio]

The peculiar man before Augustus pivoted on the spot to face him. At first glance, he looked harmless, but time would tell. Certainly the citizens were aware of what kind of event was about to break out. Even the stronger men avoided insulting the brass-plated cyborg, though chances were they could easily gang up and overpower him, they would rather not risk it. Augustus was, after all, a resident of the island just as much as they were.

Honestly, who does this joker think he is? Barely even worth the time, I imagine. Another weakling acting all high and mighty. Augustus remained still as the long-armed man pranced around him, showing off impressive mobility compared to the bulky form he himself possessed, examining his form and continuing a string of insulting sentences. Low budget? This was expensive originally, God knows how much Deane forked over in terms of medical technology to convert it to what it is now. But, still!

Augustus slowly clenched his iron fist as Flynn stopped in front of him, extending lengthy arms and, rather unsurprisingly, continued his chain of verbal abuse. Do you even hear yourself? Or is it that you like the sound of your own voice? Either way, if you wish to fight, then a fight you will get! I really don't take kindly to people who criticise me, especially when their insulting jabbering is directed at my own invention!

Augustus' steam engine kicked into gear, hot water coursing through the veins of his suit as his own heated blood pumped around his atrophied body. Flynn's weapons quickly revealed themselves, a pair of chainsaws on his overly elongated arms. Augustus raised his own right arm, stepping forwards with his left leg, and adjusted his left arm so that the barrels of his gun were pointed at his opponent. He was close to exploding with anger, but Flynn had yet to tip him over the edge and, as such, Augustus waited for the next blow. The question was, would it be a physical blow? Or a mental one?

[Deleted]

Flynn tapped his foot on the ground. "Steam powered? Really? Next you'll be putting on a top hat and asking me what I want with my tea. Really now, this is simply sad. Well, I'm afraid I have cease with my marveling in horror. I do have a job to do." With a sigh and roll of his eyes, he dived to the side. As he did so, another pair of chains came streaming from his knees. By the time the cybernetic researcher had stood up from the roll, he was wielding four chainsaws, one per limb.

With a roar, the chains around his feet revved, and Flynn went gliding away, the spinning acting rather like roller skates. While it wasn't blindingly fast, it was faster than the skinny scientist could scamper on foot. It probably helped a bit that he was facing a rather large, slow foe. "Hrmm. Needs a bit of fine-tuning. But working well enough, I suppose." He grumbled, as he spun, heading back towards his opponent.

"Hmm. What is it the combat marines do when fighting? Calling their attacks? Well, then... White Harlequin: Blind!" With that, and a flick of his hand, a small bottle of some black liquid was produced. This would prove to be ink, as Flynn threw it directly at Augustus's face. Granted, his helmet would get in the way of the bottle actually hitting his face, but Flynn was always one to give things a shot just to see how it went.

"Ooooh, that really is fun." With a grin, Flynn brought his arms around, sliding to the right, and, like a giant pair of scissors, brought them together towards the giant's right arm. "Chenso WOODCHIPPER!"

[Vio]

Now he's insulting steam power? Bah, he clearly has no appreciation for the origins of automated engineering. Why am I even wasting my time with him? Augustus' internal ramblings continued, getting ever more intense. Top hats? Tea? Honestly, this pompous imbecile. Oh?

Augustus' concealed eyes followed Flynn's movements as the long-armed fool rolled to the side, ending his pointless attempt at evading thin air by revealing yet another set of chainsaws. Within moments, he was on the move, reeling around with impressive speed in comparison to Augustus' own cumbersome movements. He knew he was outmatched in speed, but it was obvious that the man in the diving suit had superior strength.

Fine tuning? Fine tuning my backside! Augustus was about to pursue his opponent, but the mobile monkey had quickly turned around, shouting out something about harlequins and tossing a small bottle of black liquid at Augustus. Honestly? That's the best you can do? A bit of ink can block my view, but I don't necessarily need to see you to hit you.

Augustus had sprung into action at a crucial moment. Flynn's chainsaw attack on his right arm scratched at it as he swung it away, but that was not exactly what Augustus had hoped. Either way, Augustus turned his arm and swung back the other way towards Flynn, the pressure valves on his arm whistling loudly as clouds of steam gushed out.

I don't know if I hit you or not, but I think that steam will at least hold you back a little. You are... Augustus' mentally spoken words were finally followed by a verbal one. Albeit in his broken, strained manner of speech, but clear enough to comprehend.

"...W e a k..."

[Deleted]

As his arms clattered off the giant barrel of an arm, Flynn's face was suddenly filled with a cloud of burning steam. With a snarl of pain, he shoved off, activating his chain skates. The sudden burst of momentum pulled him down onto his back, under the jet, and under the other cyborgs legs. Giving a perfunctory and likely pointless swipe at the legs as he went under, he popped up on the other side.

Rather than looking suave at having pulled off a rather impressive dodge, it was clear by the dirt all over him that this had been less than intentional. Flynn, meanwhile, was looking irate. "Look at me! I'm covered in dirt!" With a growl, he zipped to the side again, this time taking a swing at the steam pipes with both arms at full speed. Diving back, away from the inevitable counterattack, he spit, a clump of grass falling to the ground as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. His face was quite red, apparently scalded a bit by the steam "And as to your pathetic attempt at insulting me, you monosyllabic, obsolete, pile of steampowered inanity..."


Flynn, taking advantage of Augustus's slow turning, spun to one side, then, using his unnaturally long limbs, grabbed for his neck, chainsaws whirring away. "I may be weak, but unlike you, I actually have some intelligence. " Now I know why they call these pirates "scum" This is truly just pathetic.

[Vio]

Adjusting the position of his arm, Augustus managed to direct some of the steam towards his own helmet. The hot water managed to clear away some of the ink, clearing up his view a little, but his left side was still obscured by a dark mask of liquid. He heard his opponent's reaction, the steam release had obviously caught him and, while it was not exactly dangerous, it would still have been effective.

Where has he gone to, now? His mobility is getting on my nerves. Honestly, blinding a man is a cheap shot in a duel. Do you have no sense of honour, you chimpanzee? Augustus tried to make a turn, albeit a slow one, stopping as he heard the clanking of chainsaws against his legs. Aside from his lack of manoeuvrability, Augustus' main weaknesses were his lack of peripheral vision and his inability to feel much of what happened to his suit.

Below the belt! Honestly, first you blind me? Then you go for my legs? Sensory impairment is a barbarian way of fighting! Just because I wish to be a pirate does not mean that I cannot respect the rules of a duel between men! Augustus heard the whirring of the chainsaw limbs once again clatter off of his bulky armoured body. Augustus assumed that his opponent had gone for the pressure release valves, not that it would do anything. The valves had closed by the time he would have hit them and his previous steam assault had reduced the pressure in his right arm.

Monosyllabic? Monosyllabic!? How dare you insult my manner of speech! Augustus' mind was steaming almost as much as his engines, the insults that Flynn had tossed around had been directed at everything that made the hulking diving suit angry. However, with Flynn now attacking from behind, Augustus could do little. The pressure in his right arm was too low to make use of his harpoon launcher. He stood there as the teeth of the Longarm cyborg's chainsaws grinded against the brass plating that covered his neck.

An assault from behind? Apparently I'm in a difficult situation. There isn't enough pressure in my right arm after I popped the valves, but that should return in a minute or two. My harpoon is out of the question, it needs more pressure to launch it any reasonable distance. I guess I only have one real option at this moment! Augustus channelled steam pressure into his left arm, the muffled click of the barrels of his gun echoed inside of his helmet, mostly drowned out by Flynn's chainsaws as their teeth scraped and ground against the brass.

Augustus moved his left arm, pointing the barrels of the weapon down at the ground as far back as he could without having to turn. As his atrophied hand inside softly squeezed the trigger of the gun, he strenuously coughed out a retort to his adversary's comment about intelligence.

"...N o t... s o... s m a r t..."

The weapon went off, a sudden discharge of steam and gunpowder fired a large pellet into the ground. The force of the impact between the two cyborgs made the ground tremble softly as the large-calibre bullet displaced dirt and dust, spraying debris in all directions. This gave Augustus the opportunity to divert all steam pressure to his legs, turning himself around as quickly as he could and then directing all the pressure into his right arm.

I don't tolerate insults. Nor do I tolerate foul play! Augustus yelled in his mind as his iron fist, empowered by both pressure and momentum, flung forward towards Flynn.

[Deleted]

Flynn's chainsaws failing to make as much headway as he was expecting, the man growled slightly, but resolved to hang on. As Augustus steamed his eyes clear, a thought occurred to him. When he had slashed at his legs, the other cyborg had been slow to react. Well, he was a pretty slow guy all around, but slower than Flynn would have thought given.... Wait. Oh. Oh this was priceless. "Wait, Can you NOT FEEL anything through this?" The response was a massive explosion from the handheld cannon.

The explosion actually broke his rather tenuous hold on his opponent, sending him flying off, hitting the ground with a undignified grunt. This was probably for the best, however, as his slump meant that he was just short enough to duck hastily under the following piledriver of a punch headed toward him.

"That was a bit too close for comfort.." He muttered, firing up the skates again to so as to get into the diving helmet's blind spots. Despite his hasty dodging, the punch had clipped him, and his side stung a bit. This out and out brawl was not his typical cup of tea. He wished he was back in his lab. However, he could not deny that there was a certain... thrill? Exhilaration, perhaps? The pounding of his heart, the split second timing.

He was really not all that speedy, however. If it was someone besides the snail-paced pirate, that punch would have been lodged in his pancreas. Except he thought he recalled his fuel tank being moved there. Hopefully the pressure of a blow wouldn't cause that to explode or something. As he swung his spinning bladed arm up towards the elbow of the suit, and the softer crack of the joint, he resolved that his fuel tank would now be referred to as his bangcreas. He had an addiction to terrible puns.

[Vio]

Lucky. Augustus had missed or, at the very least, scraped his target. There was no way for him to tell which. He knew the blast he had created had knocked the Longarmed monkey off, but there had been no sudden change in momentum from his punch. If he had felt the iron fist slow, that would have been a sure sign that his attack had connected, but that was not the case.

If only I could wrap my hands around his neck. That would teach him a lesson. Augustus gently wriggled his own fingers within the arms of the suit. There were probably only a select few parts of his original body that still had decent functionality, his hands were one of them. He let the pressure release valves do their work, stabilising the immense steam pressure within his right arm as the heated water returned to cycle the veins of the suit.

Small clouds of steam whistled out of the valves on his right arm as Augustus made a slow turn. Flynn was trying to stay within the cyborg's blind spots, making him a hard target. Augustus' moves were limited by steam pressure. Without sufficient pressure flow, his limbs were slower than normal and had little power behind them. Too much pressure forced the valves open in order to prevent the suit from rupturing. Indeed, Augustus' suit was designed to resist the immense crushing pressures of the deepest seas, but as a side effect, the suit struggled if the internal pressure was too high.

Pressure release. That means I cannot do another punch or use my harpoon launcher for a moment. Unfortunately, I also cannot recall how many rounds I have left. I just used one, I can hold a maximum of six. At best I have five, but I just can't be certain. Blasted ape! What does he even want with me? The ink over the left side of his helmet was dispersing now, still with a few blotches, but he now had some degree of vision on that side. Regardless of visual impairment, Flynn was out of sight anyway.

Where are you, you- Oh? It appears you do have some intellect to match that mouth of yours. Finally, an attack he could feel to some degree. The teeth of Flynn's chainsaw hand were now biting into the unprotected skin of rubber that covered the upper left arm, more precisely, he was going for the elbow joint. An intelligent move, as disabling one arm would effectively half Augustus' offensive capabilities. The motions of the rubber as the teeth pulled little strips out of it could be felt through his own arm.

Like I would honestly let you do that! Augustus pulled the left arm in front of himself with whatever steam-powered speed he could muster. He could not risk the suit being compromised in such a way. However, his speed was not enough and Flynn was able to deal substantial damage to the suit. Not enough to sever the mechanical limb, but the slicing attack managed to nip at one of the internal hot water veins. However, the cut was so shallow that it would be unlikely either cyborg would notice.

With Flynn's mobility, it was nigh impossible for Augustus' hulking framework to make effective moves. The only way was to force him back whenever he tried for an attack, but with the longarm's trademark extra joint, the two cyborgs had similar reach. Augustus needed to wait a little longer for the steam pressure to return to his right arm, but at least he could prepare. The cyborg sluggishly straightened his right arm to point at the nearest available wall.

I can only hope this works. Then I'm going to flatten this flea!

[Deleted]

His breath short, Flynn took the momentary lull in the attacks to think furiously. This was ridiculous. He wasn't losing, but he should have been able to cut a few lines and be done with this already. He had timed that blasted pirates reactions, watched how he attacked. Logically, he should have been able to simply cut a few pipes, leave that bastard on the ground for the Marines to pick up, and be on his merry. And yet, despite his superior weaponary, despite the fact that his mildly impressive speed was MILES faster than his opponent could keep up with, one fact was quite plain.

"Excuse me!" The doctor called out. "Why are you still moving?" With a sigh, he stood up, and shook his head. Skating at his opponent again, he spoke. Different from his previous, mocking tone, this one was serious.

"I'm... sorry. That's not a phrase I'm used to saying."

Indeed, it looked like it was taking every ounce of the grudging respect on his face to force these words out. He was keeping himself moving, but the chains upon his arms had stilled, and he was making no move to attack.

"Despite the... less than streamlined appearance, your suit, and by extension, you, are quite impressive. I take it you were the creator of the suit, or at least a significant part. If you were made by someone here, they'd probably have shown themselves as soon as it was clear I wasn't going to take you apart."

Slowing, he stopped, facing slightly away, about 15 feet from the pirate he had been fighting moments earlier. "I was overconfident in my creations. That's not a good thing for a scientist. Having my hypothesis quite literally slammed into the ground proved that." He turned, a serious expression on his face. "You're supposedly a pirate, and yet you have no crew, or a bounty, far as I am aware." He shrugged, a bit of the mocking flair returning to his face for a moment.

"What I'm saying is... Well, you're not really a criminal, per say. And you're obviously quite strong. Even if you were, it's happened before. Some chap called "Durango" or something. I doubt you want to stay like that forever. So..." He glanced down his glasses, an earnest expression on his face. "Come with me. Join the Marines."

[Vio]

Augustus stood poised, awaiting the familiar internal hiss of his suit to signify that pressure in his right arm had been returned. However, something seemed odd. There was no whirring of chainsaws. No clattering of tiny teeth upon reinforced brass. The assault had stopped, but why?

Why has he stopped? What is that maniac plotting now? Probably another cheap shot lined up, considering his previous actions. Oh? Augustus heard the voice of his attacker, but the tone sounded different, even though it was partially distorted by the hollow shell of the diving helmet. It sounded more serious than his previously sarcastic voice, even though the question itself seemed rather mocking.

What are you doing? Augustus pondered, his mind unsure of the next step he would take. The hulking cyborg expended a little bit of steam pressure to turn a few degrees, putting Flynn in his range of vision again. He was moving more slowly, his posture passive. The chainsaw blades on his arms were no longer whirring away, but Flynn spoke unusual words.

Did you just... Compliment me? The man who has been insulting me since we first met is now complimenting me? Why the sudden behavioural change? Augustus was bewildered, so much so that his mind barely registered the tell tale hiss of the steam pumps in his arm as they stabilised themselves. He could have used the harpoon then and there, but he did not.

Augustus would have even said the name of the man who had helped augment his suit, but even if he did say, it was a pointless revelation. Deane was currently away from Strawberry Hill on other business and there was no easy way to contact the awkwardly elusive Savoie family doctor. Instead, Augustus watched and waited and listened to the long-armed cyborg as he pulled to a stop a few yards away.

Flynn's words were true. Augustus was, by rights, a pirate. However, the most pirate-like thing he had done since becoming one was damage a few buildings on one of his rather infamous rampages. However, that was a while back and the damages had been paid for by his adoptive father. It was depressing to hear those words, however. No crew. No bounty.

There has yet to be a crew visit this island that is capable of calling me their crewmate. As for a bounty, my head is barely worth a fraction of the price of this suit. Overall, the suit probably cost more beri than some rookie pirates are worth in bounty money. However, it was probably Flynn's offer that turned Augustus' thoughts on their head.

Join the marines!? Are you serious!? I'm a pirate. My father - my father by blood - was a pirate. Being a pirate is the only option for me, so don't mock my chosen destiny with such an absurd and, quite frankly, offensive offer! Augustus was, once again, fuming in his shell. His right arm straightened up again, having slouched a little while listening to Flynn's speech. Quite frankly, sir. Your offer has been...

"...D e c l i n e d..." Augustus' frail human hand pulled the trigger of the harpoon launcher, firing the barbed metal spear with a resounding 'shwoop' noise, accompanied by the hiss of escaping steam and the whipping sound of the rope which trailed behind the javelin.

The projectile embedded itself deep inside the wall of the nearest building, piercing the mortar with relative ease before the cyborg began to draw back the rope. The cord tensed and strained under the force, small parts of it fraying as they gave way to the battle of physics. Eventually, his plan unfurled. Augustus was dragged back a few feet by his own strength, but the harpoon was torn free of the wall.

Aiming my harpoon at you would have been easily predicted, but I suppose this sort of attack could be counted as unpredictable, even for you. The barbed spear flew around the cyborg in an arc, slicing the air like some sort of whip as it coiled towards Flynn. Here's my answer in full!

[Deleted]

Flynn frowned, obviously disappointed. His opponent had actually seemed to be considering it for a second. Obviously there was some variable he had not accounted for. A shame. He brought his chainsaws up, waiting for the inevitable counter attack.

It was not long in forthcoming, as the giant harpoon smashed into the wall, then came ripping out the next second, cracking towards him like a giant whip. Flynn tensed, waiting. At the last second, he jumped forward, the harpoon whistling past him, even drawing a light gash across his back. He winced, but thankfully the cut had been fairly light. It did illustrate, however, that he really needed to work on his dodging. If that had hit, he'd have been skewered.

As the harpoon landed behind him, his feet met the ground, and, chains roaring, he sped forward towards his opponent. His arms snapped up in a cross above his head, slashing towards the rope from either side. Right before he reached Augustus, Flynn dropped into a baseball style slide, going past his left knee. His arms flew back the way they had come, making another cross-cut from the opposite direction. He stopped just behind, and stood.

Despite the savagery of his attack, it was rather apparent that, unlike before when he had been going for the neck, he was now trying to subdue rather than kill. Whether his words before had been sincere, or just manipulation, even the man himself wasn't quite sure. He had been just about the best in his small lab.

Panting a bit as he stood up, Flynn glanced at the harpoon gun. "Even if I missed the rope, hitting the other knee should keep you from being able to balance enough to fire that thing again." His first fight, and he was already outmatched. He had been too arrogant, he could tell. This man was augumented, just as he was. But he hadn't had the benefit of WG funding behind him. Flynn hadn't ever really been a big believer in Justice. He'd paid lip service, sure. Researchers could get away with that well enough.

It blew his mind, that he, who had been so superior his entire life, so BORED by all the uninteresting people around him, could be struggling so. His convictions were being somewhat challenged here, and he was not sure that was a bad thing. Deep down, the sociopathic wall that was Flynn Toctic, cracked, just a little.

[Vio]

Augustus counted himself lucky, extremely so, that the strain had not ripped his arm off or done any serious damage to his suit. He was also fortunate that the harpoon had flown so wide, else it could have easily impaled a more vulnerable area of his steam-powered carapace. The cyborg shifted his body, bring his right arm around towards Flynn in order to maximise the range of the makeshift whip.

Of the few fights I've had since my augmentation, I can say for certain that this is the toughest of them all. Since that start, it had become apparent to me that I am lacking expertise in this field. Even with the superior strength offered to me by this suit, my power is no match for someone who can outmanoeuvre me. I've never had to improvise before.

The cyborg watched as his opponent rolled forward, his greater agility narrowly helping him to avoid being skewered. However, the tip of the weapon caught him, drawing a little blood, before embedding itself into the earth. Flynn retaliated by severing the already frayed rope, though, regardless, the harpoon would need to be replaced anyway. It was actually more helpful for the rope to be cut.

Oh, I see what you're trying to do, now. Why the sudden change in approach? Augustus questioned in his mind as Flynn ended his dive and took a swipe at his leg. The teeth of his chainsaw arms, combined with the scissor-like motion, sliced through the rubber sheath of his left leg, cutting the hot water veins. A spray of hot water and steam erupted from the diving suit's left knee, pooling on the ground. The marine cyborg had successfully disabled a leg and, as a result, there was no easy way for Augustus to move.

Hmmm. I have a bad feeling about this. He is purposefully aiming for the weak points of my suit. I can't move properly, if at all, with my left leg crippled like that. My harpoon launcher is out, too. For some reason, the pressure is not building as quickly as normal... Augustus pondered and waited. Unable to pivot on the spot, he merely withdrew what was left of the harpoon's rope back into the launcher on his right arm. He was practically beaten, but he did not want to give in just yet.

[Deleted]

The rope had been sheared clear in two, which Flynn was quite pleased with. He was honestly a bit shocked, however, that he had managed to slice open the knee joint as well. He was breathing heavily, his stamina getting depleted faster that he would like. Really, if it hadn't been for his chain skates, he would have been far worse off than he was energy-wise.

Huffing slightly, he stood, brushing the dirt from his coat with one hand. Rather impressively, it was still very white, even though he had been on the ground more in the past 15 minutes that he had in the past month. Come to think of it, Officer Coats had a similar tendency to stay immaculate. He was learning all kinds of new things today. There was a wet noise as he stood, and Flynn mentally ammended his previous statement. Immaculate, but for the slash across his back. It was dripping blood a bit now, and stung. What with the adrenaline, he hadn't even noticed it.

Looking over, he saw that the large suit was leaking hot water at quite a rate. If it was indeed fully steampowered, as he thought, his opponent was paralyzed, or nearly so. Still, better be sure....

With what he hoped was his final burst of speed, Flynn ran forward. He wasn't sure how much power his chainsaws had left, but he didn't want to risk it by using the chain skates. With a yell, he brought both palms toward the other knee, his chains roaring. "Chenso WOODCHIPPER!" He was tired, very tired. But if he wasn't sure this monster couldn't stand up, he knew he'd likely end up on the ground, or more likely in it.