Connections Form! Inventors Unite!

[Fox]

Well, this was definitely more to her taste than that horrible Burning Caldera place. Tia was fairly sure that she still has bits of volcanic ash in her hair and on her skin. Yeste loomed in the distance, mountains peeking up over the near horizon. She uttered a silent prayer that they’d have hot springs large enough for her somewhere. It was truly inconvenient at times that humans only built things for themselves. Especially now, because Tia desperately wanted a hot bath. But, alas, Tia wasn’t here purely for pleasure.

She glanced at the wanted poster that she was pinching between two fingers. It was quite the hefty bounty, a neat even thirty million. It wasn’t often that bounties this big cropped up around these parts, so she intended to take the initiative before some puny hotshot took her quarry away from her. Oh well. Business first, then pleasure. Pulling into a port carved into the side of the mountain, Tia attracted the usual stares. She smiled just a bit as she heard gasps of fear and surprise. After all, giants weren’t a common sight in the Blues. That much she’d gathered after landing on her first island in the South Blue.

Sliding into one of the docks, Tia tethered her longboat with a rope that felt more like string in her hands. She stepped out onto the wooden pier, but it groaned audibly under her weight. She tested her weight a little gingerly before deciding that it was strong enough to hold. At least, as long as she didn’t do anything crazy like jump or run around on it. Mm, perhaps it would be fine even then. As she walked down the pier toward the town proper some tiny humans came rushing up to greet her. Perfect! She knelt down and dug around for the wanted poster while they babbled some nervous, inane chatter at her.

“Calm down, calm down. I haven’t come to blow your houses down or what have you. I’m looking for someone. Have you seen this man?”

She held out the poster to them, which did seem to calm them down a bit. After a moment, a man with a thin, scraggly white beard stepped forward and offered her a nod, handing the poster back to her. “Try the bar in town, miss. The Iron Scabbard’s the name.” With a nod of her own, Tia rose back up and stepped over the men on the pier, heading into town and scanning the signs outside of shops for this Iron Scabbard place. It wasn’t hard to spot, but the problem was its size. It wasn’t as if she could fit inside.

With a sigh, Tia sat down beside the building, leaning down low to peer into one of the windows. She had to squint to see past her down reflection and the glare. Hm… She didn’t see anyone resembling her target. Damn. If she could just… oh! That was an idea. Tia looked at the roof and then to her gauntlets. Hm-Hm. It should be possible with minimal structural damage. Standing back up, Tia leaned over the bar and positioned her hands on either side. Good thing this place was only one story!

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Tia Dreki | #ff4848 (Sunset Orange)

[Kami-Gaz]

“What day is it?” A soft, yet strained, Angelic voice asked the patrons of the Iron Scabbard. It was a voice that came from one patron who had not left since the day before, everyone else had come and gone and a whole new set of drinkers were sat filling this bar up. “T-tell me! What day is it?!” She asked again looking around the many blurred faces, containing a hiccup with her frustrations.

“I-it’s Saturday.” On of the fresher faced men said from across the room. He had acknowledged the woman’s existence… a costly mistake. She had stumbled across the room with a nearly empty bottle of rum in hand and planted it on his table making him jump. The other patrons had cleared a path, knowing what was about to happen.

“it’s been a month! A MONTH!” She announced vigorously as she sat down on the same table. “Those bastards took my entire world from me a month ago!” Sparks danced along her skin as her emotions flared, everyone else had seen this through the night. This woman was not an ounce of ordinary, her beauty lead to the first 3 getting a nasty shock as they made their move to hit on her… The next managed to get her drunk enough to calm down, his mistake lead to her current state of wallowing. “I’m looking for one of their lackiesh! Right now in fact!”

“Veera, calm down please! Stop shocking my patrons!” A man meekly called from behind the bar, his plea falling on indifferent ears. “Can no one get her out?”

The mermaid had stuck her hand into her satchel and produced a rolled-up poster, slightly stained with some water marks, be they tear or beer stains unknown. “This shitty scum giving fishmen bad names!” The poster was slapped down onto the table to reveal a fishman, with quite a significant bounty for the blues. “I’m hunting Fabio Ladrac ‘The Spear’! He’s here! On this island with his friends!” Veera shouted to the bar.

“His boats moored at the eastern port… I saw him yesterday picking on some people! You should go there now! Before he runs away!” The patron closest to Veera announced, pointing at the door in an attempt to make her rush out now. The young man was cowering in his chair, the voluptuous mermaid locking her sad and hungry eyes on his was too much for him to handle… he just didn’t want to get shocked like the others who had been the centre of her attention.

A long moment passed, tense and filled with static energies that cracked off of the mermaid. It was a moment that could be burned into any mans memories. As the energies rose to what felt like an unbearable amount Veera jumped off of the table, and headed to pick up her triggerless rifle. The weapon started to hum in her hand as the energy she emitted powered the internal magnets. Everyone else was still, anticipating calamity that wasn’t to come as they watched the mad mermaid head to the door and push it open. “Thanksh, I’ll get that bashtard and get my kid back.”

The oak door swung shut with a slam, followed by a victorious cheer inside the bar. The mad mermaid was gone! Zapping someone that wasn’t them with her power. This cheering wasn’t heard on the outside… Veera attention had turned upwards to the rather large figure standing over the bar, it wasn’t in her way… per say. As the mermaid looked up she let her drunken mind peace together what was happening and then her flushed face was plastered by a goofy smile.

“Nice Panties!”

---

#1979e6 Veera
#14ca4e Unfortunate patron

[Fox]

“Nice Panties!”

“Hm?”

Tia looked down at someone who had just exited the bar. Ah! Maybe she wouldn’t have to lift up the roof then. She could just ask her. Unfurling her fingers from under the roof, Tia moved aside and kneeled down next to the drunk woman. Tia could tell that much from the flush of her face. Not one to be embarrassed, Tia just smiled coyly in return and clicked her tongue. “Like what you see? Ryuyufufufu~!”

Grabbing the wanted poster from in her dress, Tia dangled it down in front of the lady. “Well, you’ll be so kind to pay me back for the view. Have you seen this man? Perhaps in the bar there? Someone said that he was hanging about there.” Giving the woman some time to collect her tipsy thoughts, Tia let her eyes wander. Hm, this little one wasn’t bad looking at all. She wore some interesting looking tights and a nifty little skirt. Hm-hm. Tia chided herself only a little and pushed her mind to work instead. Apparently, her prey was a half giant, so he was probably pretty hard to miss.

“He’d be pretty tall. Not as tall as myself, but fairly large for one of you little ones. Perhaps rowing with a crowd of hooligans?”

If the lady said anything remotely in the affirmative, Tia was going to tear that roof off. It would be fine in the end. She’d just put it back on after she had plucked out her quarry. Easy. Good as new. They could just apply some plaster or whatever and it would be fine. Maybe a little creaky in a storm, but fine.

---

Tia Dreki | #ff4848 (Sunset Orange)
Veera | #1979e6

[Kami-Gaz]

“Like what you see?”

The giant asked, standing up and altering her position with a healthy giggle at the situation. It was something that was light and happy but because of the sheer volume of it a light rumbling could be felt through the membrane on Veera’s legs… her interesting tights. The poster was dangled in front of the electric eyes and Veera took a moment to examine it. Her goofy smile not moving an inch. The moment passed as she let her eyes gaze past the paper and onto her interrogator… she was big… but she was a good looker. ‘I may have a thing for red heads it seems.’ She whispered before returning back to the poster.

He looked familiar… almost as if he was a part of a poster she had seen recently. “Pay you back for the view? I can do more than that!” She spoke, unconsciously raising her voice in her drunkard state so her conversational partner could hear the words. “I am hunting his fishman buddy!” The mad mermaid announced, jumping for joy before whipping out a poster of her own and holding it up high, like a proud child wanting a picture they made to go on the fridge.

Her white locks, showing the tell-tale signs of activity and unkemptness due to not taking any time to care for it, fell in front of her eyes for a second. With a hearty inhale of air, she blew it all away and grinned. With this help she was going to get everything she needed. Her target, the info he had and movement on the revenge and rescue of her only treasure.

“I’m a mermaid on a mission!” She announced, shouting to the world as she walked closer to her giant companion and stuck a hand straight up in the air to shake. “Veera Falcone, Mermaid, Inventor, Bounty Hunter at your service. We’ll split the bounty evenly and nab these idiots and then go out for a drink.” She may be drunk… may be too drunk. It was pushing Veera to do some weirdness that she wouldn’t even normally do.

[Fox]

The woman raised her voice, probably so that Tia could hear her better, but Tia could hear her just fine. What she said next was fairly intriguing. She was also a hunter! Just, not of the same target, which was good for the little woman. Tia didn’t abide competition. Not that the little woman looked much like a threat with how little and drunk that she was. Still, Tia had a look at the poster that she was holding up, squinting a little bit. Ah, hey that was her quarry in the corner there.

“So you are!” Tia smiled in spite of herself as the little woman blew her unkempt white hair out of her face. She moved closer to Tia and stuck out a hand for a shake, which made Tia have to stifle her laughter. Still! It was interesting that she was, in fact, a mermaid and not a human. That elevated her up a notch or two in Tia’s eyes. Mermaids were a rarity in the Blues. About as rare as a giant. Tia’s eyes briefly gleamed with greed before softening at Veera’s offer.

“Oh, a fellow inventor? How fun! It’s a deal,” Tia chimed happily, taking Veera’s tiny hand between two fingers and gently moving it up and down. “Tia Dreki, Giantess, Inventor, and Bounty Hunter, all the same. A pleasure I’m sure. Judging from your state… I assume our quarries aren’t in the tavern there. Do you have any leads? I can take us wherever we need to go.”

Tia wasn’t sure how steady Veera would be on her feet, and it would be a lot faster if she just rode along. So, Tia flattened her hand so that Veera could climb up into the palm of it. It was made of metal, so it wouldn’t be the most comfortable, but it certainly wasn’t the only seat either. Tia did hope that Veera would have something in the way of a lead. Otherwise, they’d both be a bit out of luck. She didn’t relish asking every tiny little person for directions.

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Tia Dreki | #ff4848 (Sunset Orange)
Veera | #1979e6

[Kami-Gaz]

A giant inventor? That could cause some big problems… problems Veera was not adverse to diving into head first. The idea of a giant inventor had not totally been foreign to Veebee, she her self was an oddity as well. What fish and merpeople she had met were far more in touch with nature and the basics of life to get their heads around the logistics of inventing. This did bring forth some older ideas she had, but she herself wasn’t big enough to work the materials to the scale she needed them to be, maybe a partnership lasting after this small endeavour could be more beneficial.

“I ride on a giant? Why thank you!” Veera called out as she wobbled over to the hand and climbed into the metal palm, somewhat like a toddler would a sofa. Once she had managed to scramble up this obstacle she rolled over onto her back in the centre of the palm and hugged her own rifle like it was a safety blanket. “Eastern port. The warehouse district. They have moored their boat there.”

The drunkards lead was recent, something to act on. “I need the fishman alive Tia Dreki. Personal business.” She said returning to a more sad state of drunk, which lead to a minor silence as the Mermaid considered a few things. “Are these metal palms your invention? I never considered making gauntlet tech… I like guns too much.” Veera started to ramble, trying to get some conversation whilst the ride was happening… if not she would likely fall asleep on this uncomfortable bed.

[Fox]

Lifting up Veera as easily as one might a stick, Tia stood up and brought the mermaid close to her face to get a better look at her tiny companion. Not bad looking at all, if Tia had anything to say about it! Hm-hm! Veera had the potential to be a very fine addition to her treasure horde. With a sly smile, Tia dumped the mermaid on top of her breasts so that she could have her hands free. Fortunately, Veera did have a lead! A rather promising one as well. Setting off back toward the port, she glanced down at the mermaid as she specified that she needed her target alive.

“I see, I see. Well, not to worry. I won’t squish any fishmen. Just everyone else,” Tia said with an air of unflappable confidence. Still, something about her companion’s tone made her pause and look down, seeing a frown form on that beautiful face. Well, that wouldn’t do at all! It piqued her curiosity a bit, and Tia listened quietly as Veera changed topics onto her gauntlets. Hm… perhaps she would pry later. If Veera proved worthy to be kept around.

“Yes, they are, actually. They’re equipped with hydraulics, which use water to increase the force that can be applied to something. I can crush just about anything with these if I so desired. I plan to extend their capabilities later…”

Tia trailed off as her thoughts wandered back to Kaldur and her father’s foolishness. It still left a bitter taste in her mouth. “Has anyone ever tried to steal your designs, Veera?” Tia was a touch curious if the little mad mermaid knew her pain. She certainly knew some sort of pain, though it seemed more sad to Tia than angry. Still, the little one was drunk, so who knew how she would react without liquor.

Walking along the port, Tia eventually spotted the rows and rows of rectangular builds that could only be warehouses. Hm-hm. Here at last, then? She scanned the waterfront for signs of their ship, but perhaps it was a little further in? She saw a few ships moored at various docks, but she didn’t recognize any of them. Nudging Veera gently, Tia propped her up, using her finger as a backrest.

“We’re here. Do you see their ship? I’m afraid I don’t recognize it.”

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Tia | #ff4848 (Sunset Orange) | Post Count: 4

[Kami-Gaz]

The mermaid was carefully placed upon the softest pair of pillows in the world and immediately began to sink between them. She could tell during the inspection pre-placement that Tia was eyeing her up, and to tell no lie… Veera found the gigantic facial features of her new compatriot to be soothing to the eyes. A cheeky smile was plastered on her face as listening to the description of Tia’s big metal hands. The design was big, and powerful, like a giant. However, it lacked the minute complexities that her small mermaid hands could bring.

Ideas for systems and sub systems filled her pretty drunken head at a rapid rate, those deemed outlandish even to her own mind were discarded. She was almost so lost in thought that she nearly missed the question that was posed to her. ‘My designs stolen?’ she pondered to herself… the mere concept of her ideas being stolen wasn’t all to foreign to her…

“Stolen… No. I have sold designs and inventions to my friends to help them in their travels though.” She explained, not knowing the pain of stolen inventions, but she did have a minor twinge of guilt to those on the receiving end of some of the ones she had sold. “Most of my inventions need my body to operate anyway… So it’s really hard to steal them, because elements of them rely my instinct and energy to use.”

As her explanation concluded she had managed to climb mostly out of the bosom without shocking her carrier. This was a great achievement, especially when drunk as her control of her bio-electricity could get a bit wibbley. As the nudge helped her that last bit, she managed to look over the docks from an angel she had never thought she would look from. “Towards the back. By the biggest warehouse… It’s the one with the goat for a figure head.” Veera explained, recognizing the description of the ship from when she had collected the bounty in the first place.

“Hold Still… I’m going to use my rifle to try and disable our targets.” Veera said, almost flimsily as she was preparing her rifle. She pulled the lever on the underside down to load a new slug, the metal clacking and clinging with all of the intricate mechanisms. “Okay big girl, this might tingle but im going to shoot now.” Veebee said as her eyes looked down the scope. She could make out the crew of that vessel but not their targets. They must have been inside either the warehouse or the ship proper.

“First shot will disable the rudder.” Flicks of electricity started to emanate from her legs, leaping into the two large objects that were enveloping her. To a giant it should be merely a tickle. These sparks condensed and then traveled up the mermaid’s body and through her arms into the weapon she was holding. It began to produce a whirring sound as the many magnets were beginning to get power and spin around the barrel at increasing speeds.

“M.A.G.E TECH, High Impact Explosive Shell.”

*CA-THUNK!* The sound was deafening as the slug was shot out at speeds that blew past the speed of sound, causing the drunken mermaid to fall back deep into the bosom that was holding her with a petite yelp. Due to her drunk state. The shot missed and only made a large hole in the upper hull.

[Fox]

Hm, so that wasn’t it. Tia had sensed something amiss, but it wasn’t akin to her own aggravation it seemed. She sighed, brushing a piece of hair back into place with a careful finger. Selling designs seemed more desirable than simply being told that they must give their designs over for measly compensation. “That’s a useful trait. Unfortunately, any giant can use my inventions, so it was often that they were stolen from me by greedy Marines. I do detest those pesky little white coats.”

As Veera clambered over her breasts and pointed toward the back, Tia squinted and looked. Hm. Was that a goat? She supposed that it was, though she had never gotten a great look at such tiny little fluffy creatures. Her eyes drifted down to her companion with some amusement as she claimed that she was going to use her rifle to disable her targets. From here? As drunk as she was? Tia had her doubts, but she was content to let Veera try. It wasn’t as if they were going to outrun a giant even if the shots alerted them.

Her amusement soon turned to surprise as she felt a tickle where Veera rested. Her lip wobbled as she tried not to squirm. She had never been tickled before! She wasn’t sure that she liked it, and it was all she could do to contain her giggles and stay still. Fortunately, it didn’t last for too long. A loud shot echoed out across the docks. She did see that Veera’s shot had missed its mark, but it still packed rather surprising power.

“Ryufufu! You missed, little Veera,” Tia giggled, patting the top of the mermaid’s head with a finger delicately. “Still, I’m impressed that you hit it at all in your condition. My turn now, dear.”

Taking off at a brisk jog, Tia made sure that Veera was very snug and secure between her breasts. She didn’t want the mermaid falling off. It didn’t take long to close the distance at all. They were there in just a few strides. When Tia reached the edge of the docks, she leaped into the air and sent a flying punch down at the stern of the ship. Since Veera’s shot hadn’t disabled the rudder, she would. In fact, she could probably sink the thing very easily, but she didn’t want to outright kill their targets. Tia liked to toy with them a bit first and bask in their terror. It was the best part! Plus, Veera needed hers alive.

“Gígahnefi!”

The back end of the ship splintered and burst into an explosion of wood fragments under the sheer force of the blow. The rudder was gone, most certainly, and so was a majority of the stern of the ship. Water poured into it, though it wouldn’t sink too far. It was fairly shallow in the docks.

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Tia | #ff4848 (Sunset Orange) | Post Count: 5

[Kami-Gaz]

Veera had barely clambered out of the bosom that she had fallen into, due to her own attacks recoil. As she managed to crest the top of her obstacle the finger came down to offer the most delicate of giant head pats onto the mermaid. It filled the shocker with a sense of pride as she watched the finger get moved away. ‘That’s sooooo cute.’ The inebriated mermaid thought to herself before losing all sense of balance again as Tia broke out into a jog.

“Whoa!” Veera exclaimed, being bounced up and down, clinging to what ever she could to maintain her position with her taxi. This was only a futile effort as with the gigantic punch Tia performed was more than enough to dislodge the Mermaid and fling her into the water. “WHEEEEE” She squealed, happily moving into a diving form to get the best landing in the water that she could. The port was shallow but with the angle of her entry and speed Veera managed to swim quite a distance out without hitting the floor.

As she popped out for air the ashen haired woman looked at Tia with a cheeky smirk and waved. “I needed a seatbelt!” She called out, not noticing that there was not a soul on the ship. No they were all in the warehouse that was just behind the wonderful Tia.

The large wooden door slid open to reveal an entire gang of miscreants, these seemed to be just mooks, nothing seemed special about them. She managed to pull her rail gun out and take aim. Her eyes scanned across all of the present people, looking for any fishman that would match the poster she had. Nothing. No one fit the bill, there wasn’t any half giant visible in the light. It did look like there were more people hiding in the shadows but Veera couldn’t make them out in her scope from where she was.

She began charging up a shot, pulling on the lever of her rifle to load in the next shell that was to be rapidly fired out of the weapon into the crowd to thin the heard and help out Tia. This didn’t happen, due to being in the water and being inebriated her ability to channel her own bio electricity was ruined, it was discharging into the water around her and her magnets were failing to get the power they needed. This was going to be boring until she could clamber back onto dry land.

What was interesting was the fact something large was thrown out of the darkness at an incredible speed. The drunk mermaid barely managed to see that it was a table that was flung at her compatriot’s head. She made a shout, but it was not going to be in time. “Tia Duck!” She called, not realising that she herself was about to be in a world of hurt.

[Fox]

Tia glanced at her companion who had rather gracefully taken a dive from her seat between Tia’ breasts. She shook her head at the little mermaid and leaned down to take a peek inside of the boat. She was more than a little excited to see their terrified expressions. But… no one was inside. Or at least, no one that she could see. Tia pouted and picked up the backend of the ship to get a better look. Was no one here at all? Really? She’d made such a show of it too. She was so distracted that she didn’t even notice the warehouse door slide open. Well, until Veera opened fire on something.

Glancing at the mermaid, Tia could see that the dear was having a lot of trouble with her rifle. Alcohol and electricity didn’t seem to mix very well. Swinging her head back around, she actually did spot what Veera had been trying to fire on. A group of rather disgruntled little ones flooding out of a warehouse. She was about to go back on the offensive when Veera shouted something else out.

Tia turned to look at her and felt something slam violently into the back of her head. A little shocked, she toppled into the water with an enormous splash. That… that had hurt. Actually hurt. Tia felt her face flush red and hot under the water’s surface. One of those little half-pints had actually managed to hurt her?! Pushing herself up, Tia picked up their sinking ship with a snarl. It took both hands, but in her rage fueled state, she didn’t notice its weight.

“RAAAAAHHH!”

With a heave, Tia launched the ship at the warehouse entrance. She hoped to hear their screams and cries of pain. How dare they…?! How dare they lay a finger on her superior frame?! They’d pay with their blood and their lives!

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Tia | #ff4848 (Sunset Orange) | Post Count: 6

[Kami-Gaz]

The mermaid watched the giantess get struck in the back of her head and stumble into the water. The impact caused a rather large disturbance that smashed into the mermaid, buffeting her somewhat back to her senses. Using her natural ability to swim like a fish, Veera shot forward and back towards the dock. She managed to arrive just in time to see a half sunken ship get hoisted out of the water in a gigantic rage.

“Oh… this ain’t good.” She muttered, grasping on to a ladder to begin her climb up on to more stable and less electricity dispersing land. *CRASH* The entire dock rumbled as the large vessel impacted into the warehouse façade, ripping through the door and crumbling the stone work.

The Drunken Mermaid was clearly not drunk enough for this scenario… Her mouth was agape as she watched the ship which had not come to rest on the floor rise and waddle. The water drop that was still sliding down her forehead was perfect for her expression of sheer shock, she knew they had a half giant and a fish man on the crew, but she had not expected either of them to be capable of this feat.

In a quick moment her eyes refocused and took in the situation, a little more sober at this sight that was gracing her electric blue eyes. She could see the feet that belonged to the vessels catcher, they were rather large and somewhat befitting of a half giant.

“Ayup Lads! Big bitch thinks throwing a boat at us is a funny idea!” A gruff voice called out with a chuckle at the end. “Think biggun can take her own medicine?” The male tones asked, answered by a cacophony of jeers and laughs. The ship was thrown back, slightly smaller due to losing big chunks when hitting the warehouse, but still a sizable threat straight at Tia. “AYUP!”

Veera stopped, wanting to be no where near the trajectory of that mass of wood as it clipped the dock, sheering away whole chunks as it flew at Tia. “TIA!” She called out, pulling her rifle up and aiming it at the half giant. The charging cycle begun and the whirring was almost at it’s crescendo as she cocked the lever to load a new high explosive shell.

[Fox]

A smirk rested smugly on Tia’s face as their own ship flew at the pirates. The warehouse splintered, the stonework crumbling and cracking. No one could survive that. No little person in any case. Their targets would be easy pickings. At least, that was what Tia had thought. She started to think otherwise when the remains of the ship rose up and moved. She stared at it, blinking in disbelief. This… wasn’t possible. She stood there, baffled as the faint echo of jeers and laughs at her expense drifted through the air.

What… was this? Tia hardly had time to process before what remained of the ship came flying back at her. Her vision went red with fury. Reeling back, Tia through a paul with the full force of the Hvítrdreki. Her armored fist collided with the ship, shattering what was left. Its remnants flew past her face, cutting it up and drawing blood. The only reason that Tia had managed to fend off the ship was because of her Hvítrdreki, and she knew it.

Staring down at her hands, she watched as red droplets fell from her face into her hands. They had… managed to hurt her. Tia was stunned. She took a step back, her mind and body reeling. What just happened? What had actually just happened? She stood there in shock, trying to process.

Meanwhile, another figure walked toward the docks, having taken notice of the mermaid with a gun. He was a tall fishman with light brown skin and a big shark fin protruding from his back. He hopped into the water, disappearing beneath the surface of the waves. It only took a moment for a massive wave to rear up and sweep up from the side of the dock, aimed solely for Veera.

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Tia | #ff6347 (Tomato) | Post Count: 7

[Kami-Gaz]

The shot was lined up, Veera could take it… save Tia, stop the half giant from attacking again. It was too late, as her mind started to even consider sending the final pulse of energy needed to fire her Railgun the wave hit. It knocked her aim off, sending the tip of the barrel straight into the floor as Veera lost balance and fell forwards as the wave swept her legs out. The panicked rush of energy fired her rife, the high explosive shell impacting the thick wood, causing it to shatter before the shell itself exploded close to her face.

The resulting explosion flung the mermaid high into the air and off of the docks, back into the shallow waters below with a long and blood curdling yelp of pain. ‘What? How? Everything was lined up… how did the water suddenly wash me away?’ Cutting through the pain her mind was ablaze with questions, firing off in every active neuron in an attempt to not pass out from the searing hot pain that was coming from her left eye. The mermaid splashed into the water like a dead fish somewhat close to Tia. It was taking everything to just stay conscious, half of her vision had vanished in the explosion.

“WHAT HAPPENED?! TIA HELP PLEASE!” She wailed out, flailing with what little energy she had to stay above the water. Veera was effectively out of the fight, burned and singed from the left hand side of her face down, her eye irreparably damaged. Water filled her face and burned even more due to it’s salty nature. *Cough. Hack Guagh*“Help me please!” *Hack. Splutter* She managed to say between battling waves of water that were impeding her voice.

The half giant revealed himself, the dust had settled. His sharp caramel skinned features matched his dark brunet hair. “Look at her, standing there in shock.” He had called to the men that surrounded him, some still covered in debris but no more hurt than he was. They all cheered as they watched Tia recoil and assess her situation. It was not that the wave and explosion rocked the dock sending the mermaid tumbling in to the water.

“Ha, and there is the bitch that opened fire. Good job Girono!” He called before returning his attention to Tia. “You hear her biggun? Your friend needs help. She’d be fine if you were strong enough… Not filled with your stupid Giant Pride.” He had goaded, stepping forward and hefting a large chunk of wood as if it were nothing.

“Are you going to help? Or am I adding a giant and whatever that mess sinking next to you to our kill list?”

[Fox]

Bingo. Girono grinned widely, showing off his row of shark teeth. He burst out of the water and back onto the docks, laughing as he watched that dumb mermaid bitch flop around screaming in pain. It was a satisfying show. Turning his back on the giant still standing in the water like a fish caught in the jaws of a shark, he walked back over toward Jeromo as he threatened her. He glanced back that way with a chuckle to see just what she’d do.

A cut on Tia’s cheek dripped blood onto her hands. The sight only reinforced the shock. They’d hurt her. They’d actually managed to hurt her. And, what was worse, Tia wasn’t so sure that she would be able to defeat them. Of course, she imagined grabbing that little half-giant in one hand and squeezing the life out of him. Her Hvítrdreki could accomplish that much easily. But how badly would she be hurt before she got her revenge? That wood he was hefting up… he could probably impale her with that. But… how could a damn half-breed be stronger than a full-blooded giant?! Rage boiled up inside of Tia again, but her anger was cut through by Veera’s screams.

Her emerald eyes flitted down to Veera. A veritable mess. Her face had been soiled. Irrevocably marred by the half-breed and his damn fish. Hardly a treasure worth having now. The half-breed spoke again, drawing both Tia’s rage and attention back to him. His words filled her with bile. Her whole being wanted to rip his insufferable head from his body. But…

Something stopped Tia. A new feeling. No, not new. She’d felt it before long ago as a child. It had just been so long that she’d forgotten. Fear. She hesitated only for a second before she scooped Veera up in one hand, closing it around her protectively. Tia turned and ran. She ran. She felt shame and humiliation run down her spine like the worse of chills. Even so, she didn’t stop. She didn’t stop although her pride screamed and demanded that she face them.

“Dammit all!”

~~~

A while later, Tia found herself sitting outside the town doctor’s house. He hadn’t been originally willing to see them, but it didn’t take much convincing for him to see it their way. Tia, of course, had demanded that he attend to Veera who she helped get inside as best she could. Now she sat outside, hugging her knees to her chest. Like a loser.

Tia clenched her fists. Damn them. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. She’d make them pay a hundred fold for what they’d done. Though, now that it was all said and done, she didn’t know why she had chosen to save Veera - instead of her pride. It wasn’t as if they were particularly close. Tia had just taken a fancy to her. So why? She didn’t really understand it.

“Hrm…”

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Tia | #ff6347 (Tomato) | Post Count: 8