Jumped in:
By TerraMGP
Coming in to the game shop always made Tabs feel a bit nervous. Her little pets were regulars there. They were well known. That meant her showing up with them in `girl mode' was always a bigger risk than she should be taking.
It had taken quite a bit of prodding from the two of them to get her in as a result. Actually, mostly prodding from Justine. Her little Kathoey had gone just a tiny bit off the rails. So much so that she hadn't really bothered to have any fun time or `training' with them. The training bit something she told herself was important. Because that was probably the only way Kathoey's little sister was going to keep her mouth shut.
Still, she kept a brave face as she made her way to the back of the game shop. Her freshly painted army in hand. A cocky smile doing its best to hide Tabs' utter nervous anxiety at the situation while she walked into the back room, looking on at the wide array of armies laid out on a few different tables.
``Ok fine, I'm here. Why am I here?'' Tabs looked in on the shop. It was mostly empty. Her two little toys and Justine's bitch the only ones she really recognized. Along with them were three others. A teenage mouse with red hair and glasses whom Tabs had seen working in this shop from time to time. Along with a bear and another rodent. Neither of which Tabs had seen before.
``Did you bring your army?'' Kathoey, or rather `Collin', beamed up at the woman. The red panda didn't seem to take the hint until she jiggled the milk crate held in front of her. The bits of chopped up foam she'd been told to use shuffling around in it.
The gesture seemed to horrify him. It horrified everyone present, really. The red headed mouse moved up and took hold of the makeshift carrier for her. She gave Tabs the most diplomatic `customer service' smile one could imagine. ``I'll help you pick out a carrier after the games. I'm sure you don't wanna just go around with this, right?''
There were about a dozen protests Tabs wanted to make with all of this. She thought better of uttering any of them. This whole, whatever it is, was apparently for her benefit after all. She looked at her two pets and the girl who was technically blackmailing her. After Kathoey's little `unsolicited pics' ended up on her phone she'd tried to avoid the girl a bit to let the horny die down. Something she was just now realizing probably hadn't been helped with the keys she held for the two. But `Collin' was seeming to act normal enough around everyone. So she'd give it a pass and try to enjoy herself.
``So what's with these other two?'' Tabs asked as she gestured to the bear and the jerboa. The former decked out in tattered jeans. He also had a painfully smug look on his face. The mouse wore a sleeveless pink hoodie that matched the highlights in her otherwise black hair. She was also quite visibly and quite heavily pregnant. That was something Tabs really wanted to comment on. But then pregnant women doing anything but laying in a nice comfy chair always worried her. She never understood exactly how that was supposed to impact ones body. Really the only thing stopping her from getting her tubes tied had been the simple fact that dicks rarely went into her. Not that the rodent woman seemed upset.
Justin smirked as he seemed to notice her distraction. ``Well, we didn't quite have enough people willing to help with this whole thing around the shop. Ryan here is my cousin. He's a cool guy who does construction and doesn't afraid of anything.''
``I feel like you're referencing something and I don't know what it is.'' Tabs grumbled.
``I didn't know your cousin was married.'' Kathoey said as he gave the rodent woman a look. The woman giving her a rather odd one back as she giggled a bit.
The bear shrugged and smirked a bit ``I don't think I've ever seen you here either, kid. Hell, haven't seen you in ages. You're the squirt's lil friend. Right?''
``He doesn't wanna come to any of the really late tournaments.'' Justin teased.
Tabs sighed and rolled her eyes at the whole assembled throng. ``Ok fine, so tell me. What am I doing here, exactly?'' She muttered ``You said it was a surprise?''
``Well.'' The bear grunted as he pulled himself up, casting a glance at the red haired rodent currently holding the thing Tabs would struggle to defend as an army case. ``We've got a bit of a tradition around here for the strategy games. Most of the regulars go though it. Especially the `real' ones. The people who get taken seriously.''
The man's wife stepped up. Again, Tabs winced as she felt like she should be getting the poor woman a chair and a bottle of water or something. ``Think of it like getting `Jumped in' when you join a renfair troupe. Assuming you've tried that before.''
It took every shred of self control Tabs could possibly muster just to keep her reaction to a simple smirk and a small chuckle. Sometimes it was easy to forget how naive these poor dweebs could be. It was cute though.
``Alright.'' The wolverine woman smirked. ``I think I can handle that. Let's give this a shot.''
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The Daemon prince Bellatrix screamed her triumph from the thunderclouds. Below her the former Emperors Children marine could see her hoard of gleeful Daemonettes dancing their way though the baying mobs of civilians. Mortal furs and maiden world Eldar, both ripe for the taking for the one who had gifted her this new body and a new reason to be.
``Let Fulgrim sing our praises!'' The beast screamed out as her wings unfurled from the tainted ruin of the power armor she'd worn as `Brother Belerathon'. The shimmering gem-halberd known as Rapture shimmered away in her grasp as she leapt free from the back of her Heldrake companion.
She could see him. The leader of this charge. The chapter master of the Ravenguard himself had chosen to meet her forces in this battle. Such an esteemed cousin was quite the compliment. She'd be sure to honor him in kind. She'd burn the moment of his death into her senses and take his head as a prized trophy. Her Slaaneshi-enhanced senses drinking in the world around her as it all burned into her memory.
``Victorus Aut Mortis''
The hushed whisper was almost nothing, even to the razor senses of a Daemon prince. A split-second later they were joined by a loud whine of an accelerating projectile. Both axe and Daemon prince shattering into a discorporating spray of warp dust as a bolter round struck home.
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``What in the, who the fuck is that?'' Tabs blinked. She looked at the spot where three black-armored figures in cloaks with sniper rifles sat. Justin stood with a tape measure between them and the Daemon prince model she'd been moving.
``Overwatch.'' The cocky otter snickered. She made a mental note to really wreck his rump for that later. ``Shrike made himself a diversion. You went in for him and ended up in range of some snipers.''
``Well that's some bullshit.'' Tabs grunted ``Why don't I get snipers?''
``I uh, I don't think that would have helped.'' Collin muttered softly as he leaned up trying to whisper it into her ear. ``You didn't seem like you wanted to stealth anyways. Plus stealth is kinda cheap''
``Yeah, it is cheap.'' Tabs grunted ``But now that means I get to take out your snipers, right? Because I know what annoying little shits they are.''
``Your possessed are still in range if you want.'' Justin snickered, gesturing to the figures on the board.
Tabs wrung her paws as she reached down to move the little figures. She then stopped, grabbed the tape measure, and measured it out. The figures moving just as Justin murred rather ominously
``Annnd look at that.'' he almost cackled ``Another Eliminator squad gets to overwatch cover the first one!''
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Tiny metal machines. Faint soul-sparks. The thrashing obsidian Heldrake screamed its rage and pain at the utter lack of nourishment offered up from this battle.
Unlike other beings of the warp the daemon engine was held tight to the mortal realm. The being which was once its awareness clawing and scratching at the back of its animalistic awareness. The beast needed souls. It needed to feed, needed to gorge itself. An endless needy vortex deep within the warped metal talons of the beast clung to the half-ruined skyscraper of the colony. Gouts of bale flame soaring into the air while the monster looked down to see the faint warp-flickers locked in their giant metal tins. Such hard work for such a poultry meal.
Yet below, there was something more. Not much. Not enough to sate the beast. The more rational bits of true Daemon in the draconic metal shell felt fear that even the meager bounty of the civilians under the streets would be further cut by all the others seeking those souls. But that didn't matter. There would be a feast only when the defenders were slain. Only when the giant metal men had fallen.
The daemonic machine lit off from the perch it had carved for itself and soared over the defenders, Its gouts of otherworldly fire. Glimmering flickers in conflagration giving hints to the beasts nature as a thing partially given to the prince of pleasure.
So consumed it was in burning away these meaningless little drones that the beast did not at first notice the bipedal metal monster standing far down the end of the street. The boxy missile pods and massive plasma weapon all pointed down range as the mech's digitigrades feet anchored themselves firmly into the roadway.
``For the greater good!'' came a scream over loud speakers. An obvious distraction which nonetheless drew the beast's attention up from the pile of scrap that had been a crisis battle suit and up to the looming figure of the planted stormsurge.
The beast flew up, seeking to escape the path of the attack. Even as it did, missiles branched out in a seemingly endless spread of smoke fingers. Twisting and winding in their dozens if not hundreds. The sky suddenly filled with powerful explosives which battered and beat the beast with endless cuts and explosions.
It spiraled back towards the ground. A bright blue lance of plasma fire striking out at it before it landed. The daemonic husk thudding hard into the ground crushing land vehicles in its wake. The beast within it basined back to the warp fro whence it had come.
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``The hell is that thing?'' Tabs barked
``Macross Missile spam.'' Hui said with a cheesy grin. The wah then looking down and grabbing her arm nervously ``Sorry, Miss Blake. I didn't mean to... I mea...'' she shook her head and then looked off to the side ``we can redo it if you want.''
``Redo? No, I mean it's bullshit. What's Macross anyways? Is that the guys you're playing?''
``She's playing Tau.'' Justin chimed in ``Macross is an anime. It's famous for jets that shoot a ton of missiles all over the place.''
Tabs stroked her chin and tilted her head a bit. ``So would that be like that Robotech cartoon I used to see on Toonami when I was a kid?'' The bear in the corner laughed. Tabs winced and shot him a glance, but said nothing. She'd probably just made an ass of herself. Again.
``Ok fine.'' She sighed ``Let's get this over with. Three more games, right?''
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It was a good day. The Throng of the Broken Heart cackled with glee. Sixty Six Daemonettes serving their prince. All gathered and ready to lash out at the feast of Aeldari souls coming towards them.
They were the dark kin. Those who reveled in the Mistress' gifts of agony and sadism while refusing to submit themselves to her fully. Their souls dark and ripe with hate and lust. Each of the Daemonettes gathered looked on at the approaching Duthraki raiders. Dozens of souls ripe for devouring.
At their head was a Venom skimmer. A pair of Succubi hanging on to either wing. They were sisters. Twins. All but indistinguishable save for one sporting blue hair while the other's was pink. They did carry different armaments, though which held which arms seemed to change during each battle.
Not that it mattered. She who thirsts wished for these souls the most. Had such grand designs for them. A blissful agony beyond anything they'd felt before. Their sisters and brothers of the cult would simply provide a bonus of pleasure for the princess of all pleasures.
None of them seemed to notice as a black spear tip darkened the sky above them. The streaking Voidraven soaring over the oncoming wytches as it sent out its payload towards the slavering charge of Daemonettes.
Its missile detonated at head height. A shockwave ripping through the warp flesh of the beings. In one strike, nearly the whole of the Throng of the Broken Heart was reduced to warpstuff and ash.
The deed done, those few who survived watched as the now overwhelming Wytch cult leapt from reavers. Each transport opening fire on the warp beasts while their twin-sister succubi began to lewdly kiss each other in celebration of a victory
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``Do I even want to know?'' Tabs sighed. Her eyes narrowing at the jet which had apparently decimated her forces.
``Ok, that one's on Collin.'' Justin muttered ``That jet is pure god damn cheese.''
``Oh like your Stormraven is any better.'' Collin snorted ``Just because I have an actual jet instead of a VTOL Toaster.''
``Jesus Christ I get it!'' Tabs sighed. ``Ok fine, My warlord doohickey is going to use their psychic powers then. Let's see, what does that...
``You don't do that until the psychic phase.'' Hui noted dutifully
``Yeah, and even then I wouldn't.'' Justin muttered ``Turns out the Deldar have a cheesy relic for that too. And guess who put it on one of his succubi.''
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Syll'Essek had been called. One of the Prince's champions standing on a hill as the thrumming music of marine musicians perpetuating the ritual which bound them to this world.
The Daemon of the twin-souled duo stood atop her lover's shoulders as she so often did. She was their eyes. Their senses. She was the one who guided her blinded lover though the battlefield in all worlds, all realms, all times and all possible realities.
It was this duty Syll Lewdtongue fulfilled as she perched on Esske's shoulder. Looking over the battlefield at the sea of advancing Skitarii. Rabid mortals on strange robot dogs. Bird-like walkers hosting snipers. Large robots decimating Daemonettes with gouts of phosphor and hovercraft roaring along carrying payloads of troops.
Off in the distance the Daemonette could see more. Three towering figures. Smaller than what would be called `titans' by the mortals. But still large enough that their whole upper bodies could be seen cresting the horizon long before the legs had even appeared.
``What do you see, love?'' Essek grumbled. The blind warrior of their union grinding heavy paw into the haft of a massive daemonic axe.
Syll simply slipped back down to her lover's side. The violet-furred creature running a hand though her mane of flowing black headfur.
``Gods damn it.'' She muttered ``We're fucked.''
