=============
On the sea…
=============
 
                Six ships, each containing five crewmembers and varying numbers of Pokégirls, headed out of the company’s privately owned port, their destination a small island in the former territories of Hawaii. On one ship, Tina Walters was idly fingering her two Pokéballs, wondering if she had time to get in a quick taming before getting to the island. The waiting was nerve-wracking, considering that they were going into battle with a sentient war machine designed to fight the TITANS of all things…
 
                Christine could seemingly sense her thoughts, and shook her head, the shaved-headed woman sighing. “Believe me, Probie, I know how you feel, but we need to save all our energy for the search and disabling. They’ll be plenty of time for fun after the Warmech is taken down.” 
 
                Donovan chuckled, the young man idly looking through some notes on the Warmech they were being sent to retrieve. “It’ll be okay, Tina. You’ll have Nadia and I to protect you.” 
 
                Tina rolled her eyes. “That gives me SO much comfort.” 
 
                Daimonji snorted. “And if the whelp fails you, then the great and mighty Daimonji will make sure that nothing happens to our cute little Probies,” he flexed.
 
                Tina smirked, and looked to Donovan. “Hey, Donny? What are the odds of our survival with Daimonji here looking out for us?” 
 
                Donovan pretended to work a calculator, and gasped. “Wow. It’s amazing how low negative numbers go these days,” he said, both he and Tina sneering at Daimonji, who just snorted. Christine laughed derisively, Kurgan ignoring them all and staying at the helm. 
 
                Tina, cheered up a little, looked out the side of the transport boat, watching the waves rush by, a pod of Boobfins swimming alongside, waving cheerfully to the crew as they raced the boat. 
 
                Tina grinned. “Donny, look look.” 
 
                Donovan turned from the notes he was looking, and grinned, watching the Boobfins as they played throughout the water, occasionally doing stunt jumps and flips when they realized that they had an audience. 
 
                Daimonji rolled his eyes. “Kids…”
 
                Christine chuckled. “Ah, let them have their fun.” 
 
                The trip proceeded more or less uneventfully, Tina and Donovan watching various water Pokégirls as they passed by them, seeing a Baleena surfacing in the distance as well as a pair of Gynadose squabbling over something. As they got closer to the island, the Boobfin pod broke off quite suddenly. Tina and Donovan traded worried looks, and looked up front, where Daimonji, Christine, and Kurgan all had worried looks on their faces. 
 
                It was then that they noticed that the boat was slowing down. 
 
                “Hey Kurgan! What’s wrong?” Tina called out. 
 
                “Look,” was all the old man said. 
 
                Tina and Donovan went up to the helm where Kurgan and Daimonji were, Donovan paling and Tina gulping nervously. 
 
                “Whirlpools…” Tina said. 
 
                “So many of them,” Donovan moaned, staring at the vortexes worriedly. 
 
                Kurgan frowned.   “Too many to be natural…” 
 
                “I agree,” Eric said over the comm.-link, “It has to be Whorepools, possibly Feral, possibly Limbec. Either way, be careful…”
 
                Christine looked over the various pools. “…There’s a distinct path through the whirlpools.” 
 
                “We’re being herded,” Kurgan growled.
 
                “The mission hasn’t changed,” Eric said, “And I doubt that they’ll attack us while the Warmech is still active. We’ll just need to be ready once we take the machine down.” 
 
                Slowly, Kurgan guided his ship through the maze of whirlpools, following the path deliberately left open for them, using the currents of the whirlpools to move through them safely. “Pokégirls out immediately upon landing,” he said, “We take NO chances. Expect anything, and be ready for a Limbec Knight ambush at any time.”
 
                Similar commands from the other group leaders came over the radio, before Eric called for radio silence until the Warmech was found.
 
                The ships docked without incident, the five in Tina’s ship exiting the boat, warily looking at the various whirlpools surrounding the ship. Nothing seemed to be coming out of them, but Kurgan knew that it was only a matter of time. 
 
                Daimonji was the first out, letting out his Chibi-Slicer Yachiru. Before she could leap up and grab Christine’s face again, Daimonji lifted her up by the white kosode she wore under her black kimono and hakama, and said quite sternly, “I don’t care if her head is shiny. This is serious work now, and we need you to be serious.”
 
                “Seriously?” Yachiru asked, surprised.
 
                Daimonji nodded. “Yes. If you don’t be serious and we somehow live through this, no taming for a week.” 
 
                “Wowzers,” Yachiru said, the child-like Pokégirl shaking free of Daimonji’s grip and nodding. “Okay then, I’ll get serious.” 
 
                Tina and Donovan had never seen Yachiru in adult form, so they were a little surprised when the child-like pink-haired swordswoman morphed from into an impossibly busty, incredibly sexy woman with long pink hair that almost cascaded over her shoulders. 
 
                Kurgan grumbled angrily to himself, glaring at Anya as Tina released her from her Pokéball. He hated the Knights. Hated that the Limbecs dared to call themselves Knights. He didn’t trust the miserable Psi-dyke, but had to admit that she had been loyal so far. Still…
 
                He released his main Pokéwoman, a powerful, aged Kung-Ewe that was graying at the temples. “Let’s keep watch for the device, Lucrecia,” he said, leaning in and whispering, “And keep an eye on the ex-Knight…”
 
                The Kung-Ewe nodded, “Understood.” 
 
                Kurgan grunted, and opened another one of his Pokéballs, letting out a Pidgeota. “Scout high up, Tora, look for the Warmech. Report back to us when you see it,” he said.
 
                “Aye, sir,” the bird Pokégirl chirped, taking off in a gust of wind. 
 
                Tina let out Molly as well, the Boobgle’s ears going back against her head. “This place bad…” she said, “Molly can smells it…”
 
                Anya gently petted the dog Pokégirl. “Easy, girl…” 
 
                Christine let out her Herowu, the Pokéwoman popping her neck and extending her steel staff. “Freya,” Christine said, “Get ready.” 
 
                Freya nodded, and asked, “Will Trine be joining us? Her electric attacks could come in handy.” 
 
                Christine grimaced. “She also has the subtlety of a metal band. She’ll come out when we need her.” 
 
                Freya nodded, the dark-skinned beauty twirling her staff. “Ah, the Warmech mission, then.” 
 
                Christine nodded. “And more… There were a bunch of Whorepool whirlpools around the island.”
 
                Anya looked over to Christine in alarm. “How many?” 
 
                Kurgan growled, Lucrecia casting the former Limbec a glare. “Too many,” Christine said. Anya frowned, stroking her chin thoughtfully. 
 
                Donovan gulped, letting out Nadia. The Squirtitty saw the others out and nodded, “We ready, then?” 
 
                Donovan nodded. “I… I guess so…”
 
                Nadia smiled, gently kissing her master. “It’ll be okay,” she said, “I swore when we first met that I wouldn’t leave you ever.” 
 
                Donovan blushed, and grinned, and Christine, Daimonji, and Kurgan began to wonder if the two were Delta-bonded…
 
                Tina didn’t have to wonder. She knew. She knew that the two were not just Delta-bonded, but Recognized. And she was scared to death of what would happen if one of them got hurt. 
 
                I won’t let that happen, Mistress, Anya assured her. 
 
                Tina gulped, and nodded. Normally Anya’s assurances would calm her down, but right now, she was nervous. She had never really encountered the Limbec Knights before, only Anya, who was wanting to leave her past as a Limbec behind her. 
 
                Molly whimpered, sensing her mistress’s distress. Tina petted her. “It’ll be okay,” she said, smiling, “Now we need your help. Can you scent the machine? Anya, can you detect it’s machine mind?”
 
                Anya blinked, startled, and frowned. “I don’t know. Machine intelligences are different from Pokégirl and human intelligences. I can try, at least…”
 
                Kurgan growled. “Whatever you can do to be useful. We need to find this thing before it finds us or one of the other groups.” 
 
                Molly wurfed softly, and began sniffing at the ground, walking along on all fours. “Molly smells rustrust, dead things, and old metal. Also…” she frowned, “Not know this smell… Like burned air… Smelled same thing from robo-lady that League official had with hims couple days ago…” 
 
                Daimonji, Kurgan, and Christine traded worried looks. “Plasma,” Christine muttered, “That means a rail gun…”
 
                “That wasn’t in the goddamn report they gave the boss,” Kurgan growled. 
 
                “I don’t like this,” Lucrecia said, “We should evac to the ships and reconnoiter.” 
 
                “I agree with the assessment,” Freya said, twirling her staff idly, looking around worriedly, “There may have been other things left out of the report.” 
 
                Christine frowned. “We can’t give up now… We’ve dealt with plasma weaponed Warmech’s before.” 
 
                Tina shook her head, confused. “How bad are we talking here?”
 
                Daimonji shook his head. “Bad… Skin-meltingly bad. And that’s not an analogy so much as it is what a high level plasma weapon like a rail gun can do…”
 
                Kurgan growled. “…As much as I hate to admit it, we need to keep moving, find the Warmech. If we have to, we can destroy the AI and make it go full manual.” 
 
                Tina blinked, remembering something. “…Hey! Donovan’s been studying datafiles on the old Warmechs! Maybe he could show us how to take it down!”
 
                Kurgan, Christine, and Daimonji gave him an intense look, their Pokégirls following suit. 
 
                Nadia reflexively stepped in front of her Tamer as he gulped nervously. “I… I guess so… I know how to disable only a few models, though…
 
====================
Elsewhere…
====================
 
                Intruders invading this unit’s territory, thought the creature.
 
                Intruders have separated into multiple squadrons, and are approaching this unit’s location. Debating course of action.
 
                Aerial intruders detected. Possibility of discovery of this unit’s location, 72% and rising. 
 
                Course of action decided: Fire warning shot and follow one of the aerial intruders back to their group, sending ModSoldiers to distract the others. Groups must be dealt with one at a time. 
 
====================
The skies above the island…
====================
                Tora fluttered about with the other four flying-types currently in the air, scanning the heavily forested island for the location of the Warmech. She looked about, glad to be in the air but nervous about this whole thing. She hated it when the whole team was called out, as it usually meant danger. She’d defend Kurgan with her life, of course (the cute old coot), but she didn’t really like him putting himself at risk at all.
 
                Mainly because it meant she HERSELF was at risk. 
 
                She briefly glanced up, seeing a Mikila belonging to one of the other crew members, when she noticed a flash of light down below. 
 
                “What the…” Tora muttered.
 
                A beam of green plasma shot out from the forest. The bird-types in the air squawked, barely moving out of the way, Tora shrieking in fright as her wing feathers were singed. 
 
                “This is nuts,” she muttered, “I gotta get back to Master…”
 
                And down below, the machine locked onto her.
 
                “Target decided upon,” it thundered, “Activating ModSoldiers…” 
 
                Shadowy figures began erupting from steel mesh cocoons that surrounded the machine, and began running towards the other crew members, while the Warmech stopped after Tora, tracking the bird-type’s movements. 
 
====================
Elsewhere in the island…
====================
 
                Eric and his team cautiously moved their way inward, carefully watching for any sign of the machine. When the plasma beam lanced through the sky, Eric cursed angrily, knowing that a fight was coming. He motioned everyone to be ready, the Mikila belonging to another teammate coming back. 
 
                “Bad news,” the Mikila said, “The thing noticed us.”
 
                “Did you see where it was headed?” her Tamer asked. 
 
                The Mikila shook her head. “It tagged Tora, singed off some of her feathers, and started following her,” she said.
 
                “Damn…” Eric said, “Kurgan’s group has TWO Probies… Let’s move to his location, NOW!”
 
                “Boss?” said another Tamer, “I think we have bigger problems at the moment. 
 
                From out of the woods came nightmares of technology and flesh. The corpses of Pokégirls and Tamers that had been unfortunate enough to come to the island fused with metal scraps and whatever else the Warmech could find, making remotely controlled soldiers. 
 
                Eric snarled. “ModSoldiers and a rail gun… That means it’s a T-Class… Damn it all, the report didn’t mention this… If we live, the clients are paying us double…” 
 
                He let his Chimera and his Sphinx out. “Destroy ANYTHING that’s not us!” he snapped. 
 
                Back at Kurgan’s group, Tora landed roughly, her damaged wing feathers throwing her off-balance. Almost immediately, Kurgan and Lucrecia were at her side. 
 
                “What happened?!” Lucrecia asked, concerned for her harem-mate.
 
                Tora winced. “The stupid thing saw the flyers. Winged me with a plasma bolt… I think it’s headed this way!” 
 
                Kurgan cursed, as Daimonji, Tina, Christine, and Donovan traded worried looks. “Prepare for battle!” he barked to them before turning back to the Pidgeota. “Will you be able to fight?”
 
                Tora shook her head. “No. I’m not badly hurt, but my wing is damaged too badly for me to be properly balanced in the air. I barely got back here as it is…” 
 
                “You just rest,” Kurgan said, gently caressing the damaged wing, “We’ll take care of it later.” He turned to the others and shouted, “Prepare for battle! Disable if you can, destroy if absolutely necessary! Your own survival is priori…”
 
                Before he could finish shouting orders, Lucrecia tackled him, knocking him out of the way as a massive mechanical foot stomped down immediately where he was. 
 
                “SCATTER!” Freya shouted, the massive Warmech stomping into full view, humans and Pokégirls dashing out of the clearing they were in. 
 
                It was massive, twenty feet tall. It had no arms, but an array of guns and missile launchers on a pair of damanged wings, most of the arsenal thankfully looking to be too rusted to be used. It had a long, protruding, almost muzzle-like torso, with a massive, jaw-like cockpit.  The ‘head’ of the beast was a rotating armored orb with glowing sensors for eyes that could extend in every direction. 
 
                On its shoulder was a fearsome weapon, longer than the creature’s muzzle, was a weapon that was glowing with plasma. 
 
                “Intruders,” the machine bellowed, “This is this unit’s territory! You will leave or you will be assimilated into this unit’s ModSoldier army!”
 
                Freya gulped nervously, “Um… I think we need Trine now…”
 
                Christine nodded. “Before that thing’s plasma cannon recharges…” She quickly released the Boobtrio from her Pokéball. 
 
                “Gah hah hah!” the triple-breasted woman laughed, the runic markings on her body glowing brightly, “Let’s ruckus!” 
 
                “MOVE!” Freya shouted, quickly grabbing her harem-mate’s long red hair and yanking her back hard as the Warmech turned one of its still functioning gatling guns on her. 
 
                “Surround it!” Kurgan bellowed, “Take out the rail gun first! If it fires, we’re finished!”
 
                From her hiding spot with Donovan, Tina was cursing. “Anya, try to reach into its techno-mind and shut it down!”
 
                “Telepathy is different from technopathy!” Anya shouted, dodging out of the way of a barrage of gunfire. “I can’t access it’s mind!” 
 
                Donovan, meanwhile, suddenly grinned. “I know what to do…” 
 
                Tina blinked. “Wha? You do?!”
 
                Donovan nodded. “That rail gun means it’s a T-Class, one of the only ones capable of hurting Typhonna. I know how to disable and leave it salvageable, with just minimal damage. But I need everyone’s cooperation.” 
 
                Tina frowned, looking out at the Pokégirls. The Warmech may have been old and rusted, but it was still deadly. The normally jovial Trine’s electric attacks and Lucrecia’s powerful ki attacks were the only things doing any real damage. Yachiru couldn’t get through, nor could Molly and Freya, and Nadia and Anya’s attacks did little other than to get the creature’s attention. 
 
                “I have an idea,” Donovan said, “But I need Anya’s help to relay it to everyone.” 
 
                Tina frowned, and nodded. Anya, she thought to the Psi-Dyke, I need you to relay this to everyone. Donovan’s got a plan.
 
                Frowning, Anya complied, letting Donovan’s thoughts flow into everyone, focusing on dodging so she wouldn’t die while relaying the message. 
 
                It’s crazy, Kurgan said, Too risky. I may not like the goddamn Limbec, but I don’t want her to die on a suicide mission…
 
                It’s dangerous, yes, Anya agreed, But it’s also the only thing we’ve got.
 
                I agree, Lucrecia added, The plasma cannon’s almost charged. One burst from that at this range and we’re ALL dead…
 
                …Do it, Kurgan said after a moment, Take command, Donovan.
 
                Donovan nodded, grinning a little at the fact that his name was used instead of Probie. “All right… First, we need an open spot on the thing!” 
 
                Daimonji nodded, looking at the Warmech. “…YACHIRU! Attack that rusty spot on the left leg join!” 
 
                “Freya, cover her!” Christine shouted. 
 
                The pink haired Slicer blinked, noticing the spot for the first time. She charged the Warmech, sword sheathed for an iaijutsu strike, while Freya vaulted into the air, the dark-skinned Herowu using her staff to vault into the air, drawing the creature’s fire. 
 
                “Monster go bye bye,” Yachiru chuckled, using a point blank Swordwave to tear a hole in the creature’s leg. The Warmech screamed in rage, staggering. 
 
                “Now… Short it out! Water and electricity! Nadia, use Water Gun on the opening!”
 
                Christine nodded, getting it now. “Trine! Hit the exact same spot with Thunderbolt!”
 
                “FINALLY we get to crush this thing!” Trine laughed, “Let’s party, shellback!”
 
                “Let’s just get this done,” Nadia muttered, firing a powerful jet of water from her mouth at the exposed circuitry on the Warmech’s leg, Trine shooting a blast of electricity from her hands at the same place. The Warmech screamed, jerking about in apparent pain and staggering forward, the muzzle-like cockpit opening as a low moan escaped it. Several of its guns fell off, the rail gun shorting out and sparking in an unstable fashion.
 
                Donovan nodded. “Now, smash its legs before it recovers! Damage the joints near the top so it can’t separate and start flying!”
 
                “SEPARATE?!” Daimonji and Tina shouted.
 
                Donovan nodded. “Warmechs were designed to split apart and discard damaged areas to increase mobility during the Titan Wars, as well as act on its own if the pilot was killed. This thing when complete would be twenty STORIES high and much more heavily armed… T-Types in particular.” 
 
                “I don’t like this job anymore,” Yachiru muttered, wishing she could switch back to her child form. 
 
                Lucrecia and Freya, meanwhile, had already leaped into action after hearing their role. Freya jammed her steel staff through one leg, twisting the metal leg and forcing it up into the undercarriage. Lucrecia, meanwhile, charged up her hand was as much ki as possible, using Master Blow to smash the creature’s leg. 
 
                The powerful attack slammed the leg upward, the metal warping from the sheer force of the attack, wrapping around one wing and sending the creature off-balance, the Warmech staggering and collapsing. 
 
                Lucrecia winced, the Kung-Ewe falling to her knees and clutching her arm. “Damn it…” 
 
                Kurgan nodded, knowing that using Master Blow meant her arm would be useless for the next three days. “You done good, Lucrecia, fall-back!”
 
                Freya helped her up and helped her retreat and Anya and Molly ran forward to complete the plan. 
 
                Tina shouted to them, relaying Donovan’s instructions. “Molly! Use Howl on that thing’s head, scramble its sensors! Anya, get in there and let Donovan into your head so we can disable that thing!”
 
                The Boobgle barked, and charged the creature. She leaped up onto the downed Warmech, the machine’s ‘eyes’ turning towards her, glowing angrily. 
 
                “You will remove yourself from this unit,” it demanded, “or this unit will SQUARRRGHH!!!”
 
                Molly let out an ear-splitting howl right in the Warmech’s ‘face,’ the tentacle ‘eyes’ waving around wildly as it let out another mechanical scream of pain, the powerful sonic attack echoing across the island. 
 
                Anya leaped into the cockpit, sitting down at the multitude of consoles inside the machine. “Jeez, how did people use this thing?!”
 
                Just trust me, Donovan said in his mind, Let my mind into yours, and I’ll guide your hands.
 
                All right. Just don’t look around while you’re in here, male, she ‘muttered.’ She opened her mind to him, feeling Donovan’s thoughts flow into hers, the Psi-Dyke able to ‘hear’ Nadia’s as well due to the Recognition link the two shared.
 
                Anya shivered. She hated doing this, hating giving over control like this, but… well, to be perfectly frank, she wasn’t ready to die yet. No…
 
                Donovan, looking through Anya’s eyes, nodded. “Okay… I know what to do…” 
 
                He began to manipulate the various devices, the creature shuddering violently. “What are you doing?” Anya asked. 
 
                “Draining the power off,” Donovan said, pressing buttons on the console. Molly tried to lean down to look, but the machine shuddered, a panel opening up and unleashing a wave of energy. Molly yelped, her tail singed by the venting, as she jumped off of the top of the machine. 
 
                The other Pokégirls stood at the ready as the machine shuddered, trying to get up, trying to shake out the intruder in the cockpit of the machine. Donovan, through Anya, began working more quickly, shutting off system after system, weapon after weapon.
 
                “Jesus,” Anya muttered, “How many systems does this thing have?” 
 
                “Too many,” Donovan said, “This is an older model from old Russia, where the Hammer & Sickle League is now. Back then they were paranoid and wanted to make sure that no one could sabotage them…” 
 
                Just like humanity to wage war with itself even when the devil herself is at their doorstep, Anya thought bitterly, keeping the thought from Donovan. 
 
                For a tense few minutes, Tamer and Pokégirls watched as Donovan, through Anya’s hands, worked to disable the machine. The Warmech shuddered, and for a moment it seemed as if it would become alive again… Even worse, the rail gun looked like it was on the verge of overloading…
 
                But as they watched, the machine shuddered, seemingly collapsing in on itself and slumping over. The plasma overload faded the damaged rail gun going inert. Eventually, the column of vented energy faded as well. Anya, shivering, slowly stepped out of the machine, giving a thumbs up.
 
                Everyone almost collapsed in relief. There was a brief moment as the cockpit suddenly slammed shut, Anya yelping and jumping back. 
 
                Donovan came out from his hiding spot and checked the machine. After a moment, he nodded, grinning. “It’s over. Subject has been rendered inert.” 
 
                Nadia ran over and practically leaped into Donovan’s arms. Tamer and Squirtitty shared a passionate kiss, the two embracing happily. 
 
                Lucrecia, her arm in a makeshift brace made from the vest Kurgan wore, went over to Anya, who sat down on a tree that had been felled by the Warmech in its rampage, slumping over in relief. 
 
                “You took a helluva risk,” Lucrecia said, the Kung-Ewe nodding to her, “If Molly’s Howl hadn’t scrambled its senses enough, or if the rail gun had overloaded…”
 
                Anya shrugged. “I don’t let my teammates down…” 
 
                Lucrecia frowned. “What about the Limbecs?” 
 
                “…The main difference between the Limbecs, especially those under Madame Yggdrasil, is that there is no real sense of camaraderie. Everyone has their own agenda… This… This is different. This feels more right than the causes Yggdrasil had me fighting for…”
 
                Lucrecia traded looks with Kurgan, who had come up behind her. “I guess that’ll have to do,” the Kung-Ewe said, offering Anya a handshake, which the Psi-Dyke readily accepted. 
 
                Anya grinned. “I suppose so,” she said. 
 
                Tina grinned, sitting down next to Anya and hugging her. “Great job!”
 
                Anya sighed, hugging her Tamer close. “We can’t relax, though,” she said, “We still have to worry about a potential Limbec attack… The sheer number of Whorepools out there is worrisome.” 
 
                Molly yipped, giggling and hopping into Anya’s lap. “We beats anybody!” the Boobgle said, wurfing and licking Anya’s face. 
 
                Christine nodded, hugging Freya close in relief. “She’s right,” Christine said, “Let’s reconnoiter with the others and make camp here. The techs might be able to make some of the weapons useable for us in defense.” 
 
                Kurgan was already on the radio with Eric, confirming the procedure.
 
                “Right. I guessed you guys disabled the machine once the ModSoldiers went inert. We’re purging the bodies now, and will be over to your position shortly,” Eric side, idly stroking his Chimera’s lion head as she stood near him, watching out over the water. 
 
                Kurgan nodded. “Donovan saved our lives with his tactics. And that ex-Limbec of Tina’s deserves a lot of praise for the risk she took running in like that,” he said, looking over in amused disgust at Daimonji, who had gotten up on top of the downed Warmech and was posing, making his pecs dance about while Yachiru, back in Chibi form, giggled at the sight. He rolled his eyes and turned back to his comm.. 
 
                Eric smirked. “Daimonji being a doofus again?”
 
                “Name me one time he isn’t,” Kurgan muttered.
 
                Eric laughed. “All right. This is a big victory, but we’re not done yet. We still have to be ready for a potential Limbec Knight raid, as well as getting the product back to the base and to the client. Be ready, and secure the Warmech. We’ll be there shortly.”
 
=================
Elsewhere…
=================
 
                On a far ship, an ocean liner retrofitted as a floating fortress, two powerful figures watched the Tech Hunters with interest. 
 
                The apparent leader of the group, a short Pokégirl with wild red hair and unusual facepaint, partially black, partially white. She was dressed similarly to Yachiru, but she wore a white coat over her kimono with a thick, purple color. A sinister grin was one her face as she watched the Warmech get disabled. 
 
                “Well well,” Washu Kurotsuchi said, chuckling, “I didn’t think they could do it without losses. It appears that one of them is quite well studied, and that the machine was in worse shape than I thought.”
 
                A Kunoichi appeared near the Supe-Bra Genius. “What is our course of action, my lady?”
 
                Washu chuckled. “We wait until they make camp. Then we start with a swarm. If that’s not enough, we’ll send in some of my… special projects.” 
 
                The Kunoichi, clad in a full-body, form-fitting black uniform which concealed her features, nodded. “Very well,” she said, hesitating and adding, “…Permission to offer my opinion, my lady?”
 
                Washu chuckled. “Since your opinion doesn’t matter to me, feel free to speak it,” she said, not turning towards the Kunoichi.
 
                The Kunoichi, long used to Washu’s complete disregard for anyone that wasn’t herself, nodded, and asked, “Wouldn’t it be more prudent to send in the swarm… well, now? While they’re recovering from battle?”
 
                Washu shook her head. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. For a ninja, you are decidedly untheatrical.”
 
                The Kunoichi frowned. “The art of the ninja lends more to stealth, than…”
 
                “Whatever, I don’t care,” Washu interrupted, “Sending in the swarm while they are resting, even with guards to warn them, shall create such delightful panic. The experiment isn’t fun if you just smash away.” 
 
                The Kunoichi blinked. “You view this an experiment?”
 
                Washu chuckled, licking her lips. “Life is an experiment, my dear. Now go. Make sure the swarm is nice and hungry. Madame Yggdrasil decided she wanted that machine, and I mean to make sure she gets it. And maybe I’ll bring her the head of that Eric person as a present, heheheh…” 
 
TO BE CONTINUED…