Heretical Fishing

Chapter 81: Introduction

Pistachio, even exhausted as he was, had felt the welling power within Sergeant Snips and knew it was too much. If it were to hit Corporal Claws, she'd be hurt, if not killed.

The moment the water started pouring from Snips, he extended a single claw and unleashed a blast at the two creatures.

All he could do was hope it was fast enough.

Snips moved as a blur, barely visible to Pistachio's eyes even with his enhanced body.

The shotgun of force shot from his pincer, blasting into both of them.

As it engulfed them, an arc of blue light shot through it, warping and twisting, dissipating as it went.

His blast knocked both of them to either side, and they flew free of a giant cloud of sand that flew up.

Claws rolled to the sand, coming to her feet. Her eyes were wide, and she stood on her hind legs, inspecting her stomach.

As Pistachio approached, he saw a small cut there. A trickle of blood came from the wound, pooling on her fur.

Sergeant Snips, having landed in the opposite direction, tore across the sand with a stream of bubbles flying from her mouth. Pistachio wasn't yet fluent in their meaning, but he caught hints of sorrow, apology, and regret.

She reached Corporal Claws, hissing emphatically as she inspected the wound.

The otter still appeared shocked, her eyes wide and staring into the distance now that she knew she hadn't been seriously injured.

Pistachio reached them, leaning in to inspect them; neither had been injured by his blast—only misplaced. He let out a hissing sigh as his anxiety receded.

Snips grabbed Claws by the shoulders, slowly shaking her until her eyes cleared.

She looked down at Snips, and as her shell-shocked expression disappeared, a toothy grin spread across her face. She put her paws atop Snips' clackers and unleashed a verbal torrent of excited hisses and chirps.

Snips blinked at the barrage, then joined in on the conversation, hissing and bubbling too fast for Pistachio to comprehend.

While he didn't really get it, he understood the general sentiment; they were both ecstatic at Sergeant Snips' new ability.

The mighty crab stepped back, and in an instant, blue liquid sprouted from her limbs, forming into billowing clouds of water that shifted languidly of their own accord. Each spike on her powerful body was tinged blue, covered in a thin layer of power.

She pivoted, extending a claw out into open space.

***

The feeling of sorrow and regret instantly evaporated as Snips extended her claw and gathered power.

She drew from deep within, and the source of the strange power answered, sending a twisting torrent of energy spiraling out through channels within. They coalesced at the hinge of her claw, but unlike the previous attack, she didn't push any power back within, calling forth all that she had.

She began to lose control of the flow, so before it could go awry, she slammed her claw closed.

A blue arc of energy—half again larger than the previous one—tore over the sands.

It made a distorting sound as it went, like it sliced the air itself in its passing. Sand swirled behind it, and it continued on, slamming into a raised section of earth toward the mountain.

Snips glanced at the others; Claws blinked, her toothy jaw unhinged; Pistachio blew bubbles of awe, staring at her with wide eyes.

As one, they sped for the collision sight, intent on seeing the damage.

When they reached it, Snips pulled up short, confused. Claws ran forward, putting her head only centimeters from the mound as she wiggled around, seeking the entry point.

Snips could have sworn it had hit right there, but saw no hint of damage.

Claws chirped, gesturing down at the mound.

Snips leaned in closer, and as she squinted, she saw it.

It was only visible because of severed blades of grass. A line was cut across the entire section of earth, thin as a razor.

Claws hissed in appreciation, and Snips blew bubbles of shock.

A giant claw extended from behind, tapping each of them on the head. They spun, and the lobster rubbed both of their heads, a gesture of approval.

Claws smiled between the other two, and Snips hissed her appreciation.

They may be entirely different species, and even rivals sometimes, but they shared one unifying goal.

The protection of these lands—of Fischer's lands—was the most important thing.

Any of them increasing in strength was a source of celebration, and Snips felt a fluttering deep within her carapace as she realized the other two were proud of her.

She blew questioning bubbles, and they both nodded, so they began the trek back toward Master's home—their home.

Snips hoped he would return soon.

Her eye gleamed in the fading light of day.

She had a lot to show him, after all.

***

I woke the following morning to a soft muttering within the shelter.

"Did you sleep well, little bun-bun?"

I smiled and peeked out through a squinted eye.

Maria crouched in the corner by where we'd stashed the bunny. She peered into the nest we made, peeling back layers of blanket to reveal a cinnamon-colored head.

"You are just. So. Cute!" she whispered, thinking I was still asleep.

"Thank you," I said, causing Maria to jump and make a startled sound, which made the bunny go alert, raising its ears.

She glared at me.

"You scared our child!"

I laughed, pushing back the blankets as I stretched.

"I think it might have been you jumping that scared her, not me."

"Her? How do you know it's a her?"

I cocked my head.

"Uh—I don't know, actually. She is a her, though."

"If you say so..." Maria said, her brow furrowed. "I always wanted a daughter."

"Are you, uh, still planning to return her to the wild?"

She sighed.

"She's a free spirit, so yes, but that doesn't mean I can't love her while she's healing."

"Speaking of—how about I get some brekkie sorted so we can head off?"

"Yeah! I'll, uh, hug the bunny. It's important we keep her... comfortable, you know?"

"Thank you for your hard work," I said, laughing.

***

As we crested the final hill, a beautiful sight met us.

The sun was low in the morning sky, and it reflected off the bay surrounding Tropica. Birds wheeled high in the sky above the village, circling on unseen currents as sunrays warmed everything they kissed. A soft breeze blew from the east, hitting our faces with its cool touch.

Maria's eyes were closed, and she gave a small smile as the wind swept her hair back from her face. She hugged her bundle a little tighter, taking comfort in our rescue's presence.

Joy swelled in my heart, and I watched her for a long moment, basking in the scene.

"Let's go," I eventually said.

Maria turned toward me and nodded, her smile turning beatific.

***

Sergeant Snips, first student of Fischer, and maiden of the salty pond, luxuriated beneath the water's surface.

She'd woken early that day, going to meet her squad of crabs at the designated spot. The one crab wasn't there, and with the thought of his continued absence once more permeating her consciousness, she felt a moment of concern.

Soon as it came, she swept it away; he was a foolish and insubordinate creature, but he was reliable. He would live.

He's probably off getting some shiny bauble to bribe his way into my beloved pool, she thought, shaking her head. It had better be extra shiny to make up for his disappearance.

She returned her focus to the pond, bathing in the resonance coming from the surrounding opalescent stones. It made her eye itch, and she was absentmindedly rubbing her patch when something joyous entered her sphere of awareness.

She leaped from the pond, flying clear over the wall as she launched herself at it.

***

"That's the pool," I said, gesturing at Snips' and Claws’ construction.

"If we're lucky, we might find Sergeant Snips within—"

The water exploded, spraying upward as something large—and rather spiky—flew from beyond the pond’s raised wall.

Snips, in all her glory, and expelling a torrent of ecstatic bubbles, landed on the sand before us.

With my enhanced body, I'd seen her expression change midway through her leap—she'd seen Maria, but it was too late for her to cancel her jump once she was already airborne.

She blinked at us, then with slow, testing steps, started backing up, returning toward the pond.

"Snips!" I said, dashing forward and scooping her up. "It's okay—I told Maria."

I hugged her tight.

"I missed you!"

She looked at me, then at Maria, then back at me.

A jubilant hiss escaped her as she gripped my arms and chest with her legs, pulling herself into me.

I roared a laugh, hugging her tight.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Snips."

"H-hello, Snips," Maria said, her eyes wide.

Snips waved a single claw, blowing bubbles of greeting at her.

"She says hello back," I said. "Do you want to pet her?"

Maria swallowed, blinked, then nodded.

She walked over and, clutching her bundle of blankets to her chest with one arm, extended a hand, gently petting Snips' head.

Snips extended her carapace toward the touch, making Maria rub harder.

"She loves scritches," I said.

Maria's face was smothered by awe, and her lips curled up into a smile.

"Unbelievable..."

"I told you she's friendly. Wait until you meet the other—"

Snips froze, bubbles ceasing as she looked back at the pond.

She extricated herself from my grip and jumped to the sand, then gestured for us to follow as she scuttled toward the pool.

"Er... Snips?" I asked.

She just gestured us on, more urgently this time.

Maria and I exchanged a look, and I shrugged.

"She has something to show us."

We both approached the pond, and Maria let out a gasp.

"Hestia's growing bust—it's beautiful..."

The morning sun was hitting the opalescent boulder in the center, shining a full spectrum of rainbow light in different directions. It bounced off the smaller stones, making the colors refract and build off each other.

"I know, right? This was Snips' and Claws' creation. They—wait..."

Something came from the cave, its giant form even larger than the last time I'd seen it.

The lobster, now somehow even bigger—I don't know how it even fit within the cave, to be honest—strode toward us.

I looked down at Snips.

"Did he...?"

She nodded and blew small anticipatory bubbles.

"No way..."

Maria spotted the shape approaching and took an involuntary step back.

"It's okay," I said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It looks like I've gained another friend..."

The lobster emerged from the pond—well, its head did, anyway. It glanced up at us, intelligent eyes bouncing from Snips, to Maria, then to me.

Its eyes unwavering, it nodded to me, and I nodded back.

"Nice to meet you, mate."

It—no, he blew bubbles of agreement.

I wasn't sure how I knew his gender, but I did—the lobster was definitely a he.

I bent and scratched his head.

He didn't respond as Snips and Claws would, simply looking back up at me as I gave him my best scritch.

"Not a fan of pats, hey? No dramas, my man. We—"

I cut off as I felt power welling up from behind and to my left.

I whirled, stepped in front of Maria, held out my hand to protect her, and paused.

What the…? Is that...?

Corporal Claws exploded from her spot on the sands. Lightning—gods damned lightning—wreathed her body, and she slammed into my chest.

I caught her, bracing for an electrical strike that never came.

Claws was a storm of hisses and wiggled, twirling over and over in my arms as she kept glancing up at me.

"W-what?" I said, dumbly.

The lightning still wreathed Claws, but it didn't zap me; it tickled, like a vague sense of pins-and-needles everywhere it lashed out to touch me.

"You... you control lightning?"

She let the power go, returning to her normal form as she shrugged and puffed out her chest.

She chirped, as if to say, yeah... so?

I laughed and hugged her tight.

She leaned up, pressing her head firmly into my chin as she slid it back and forth hard enough to injure anyone without an improved body.

I turned to Maria, showing off my friendly neighborhood otter.

"Maria, this is Corporal Claws. Corporal claws, this is Maria."

Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open as she stared at Claws, no doubt impressed by the lightning—damn, I really could not get over the gods damned lightning.

"Do you want to hold her?" I asked.

"Is... that okay?"

"Be gentle, okay?" I said to Claws, using a stern voice. "Maria doesn't have an enhanced body."

Claws chirped her agreement and saluted, then jumped to the ground.

I grabbed the bundle from Maria's arms, and before she could bend to pick up Claws, the otter leaped.

Maria caught her, making a surprised noise.

Claws sat on her crossed arms, put a paw on each of Maria's shoulders, and chirped her greeting.

"H-hello, Claws..."

Claws rolled onto her back, exposing her belly.

Maria giggled, her face awe-struck.

"You're so cute..."

Claws nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

A presence caught my attention, and given my creatures—including the newly awakened lobster—were all present, a spear of fret wedged itself deep within me.

Everyone but Maria felt it too, and we shot out our heads toward the ocean as another ascendant being approached.

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