[X] Give Puppy more target practice.
[X] You're gonna wreck it! ('It' being ships.)
It was quite understandable why you were feeling a little off.
Fighting something which seemed to have tried very hard to be made up solely of blades, chisels and crowbars had not been a fun experience and the evidence left on your body showed that. None of the small cuts on your body were serious but they were annoying and the damage to your... rudder was showing up as a black shadow on your pale skin.
While the damage to your eye wasn't as outwardly obviously your eye still throbbed painfully. The related damage to your radar that it represented gave you a headache whenever you looked around so for the moment you resorted to keeping that eye closed.
The damage wouldn't linger for too long, but it'd be really cool if you could get yourself an eye patch in the meantime. Perhaps one with a skull and crossbones on it...?
"
Arr...?" You tried experimentally, but to your ears it didn't have the right kind of sound.
Hefting the heavy metal mass which had been your opponent, you tried to judge its weight against your own strength. Finding it acceptable you picked it up then began to walk slowly towards the waterline.
Each step you took made your rear ache again and you longed for the soothing feeling of the water beneath you, but before you could step out onto the salt there was something which you had to do.
"Puppy?" You asked over the private channel.
"
Yes, boss?" The reply came instantly, not even hesitating despite your use of a name which had come purely from your impressions of the destroyer, "
Do you want something? Is there something I can do? Is there something you want to go boom? Because I like the booms, they're fun, and all the bits go flying when I ma-"
"Puppy," You repeated, interrupting the stream of words which had slowly gotten fasted as the destroyer had continued to speak, "I do have something for you to do for me."
Taking a firmer hold on the metal you shifted your grip on the awkward shape.
"Can you shoot this for me?" You asked, wanting to use more elaborate words and properly dramatic verbiage but well aware that your 'Puppy' would probably just be confused again if you used terms like 'tenebrous'.
"
Now? Sure thing, boss, opening fir--"
"Not right now!" You interjected hurriedly, having suddenly realised that letting her show her enthusiastic marksmanship while you were holding the remains of the blade-dog might not be the best thing for your health. "I'm going to throw it and I want you to shoot it into bits."
You tensing, getting ready to toss your burden up into the air, and were just about to throw your (hopefully) former opponent when the destroyers voice interrupted you.
"
How big bits?"
"What do you mean?" You asked carefully. You had thought that your request had
not used too big words for her had been clear enough, but apparently that wasn't the case.
"
Well," And even over the channel you could tell that she sounded sheepish, "
I don't want to disappoint you or get it wrong... So did you mean big bits, like chunks and wreckage, or small bits like fit in my hand or maybe tiny bits like sand and I'm not sure that I can..."
Despite yourself you could see her point. Language could be so frustrating imprecise after all and there was quite a difference between 'black as the abyssal depths', 'black as the heart of an uncaring Captain', and 'back as engine room coffee.'.
Maybe you could pick up a thesaurus along with the rhyming dictionary? Or maybe something with Latin words, those were really ominous...
"
Boss? Are you still there, boss?"
You definitely didn't blush as you realised that your thoughts had wandered and you next words were hurried simply due to the contingencies of time and not in an attempt to cover up your moments of wool-gathering.
"I shall leave the choice up to you," You announced firmly over the the airwaves, "For destruction is your birthright and indulgence. Now, ready..."
Using as much of your strength as you could you shoved the mass of the former blade dog into the air, tossing up as you barked out a command, "FIRE!"
As the thing left your grip you saw it suddenly move, trying to extend its limbs to the ground but not having any chance to seize hold as it arched upwards.
It seemed that it wasn't dead after all.
Fortunately the thunderous retort of cannon fire was immediately heard as your Puppy enthusiastically rectified that.
Unfortunately Puppy seemed to have chosen the path of 'there is no kill like overkill' and was, as a great philosopher said ( even if you couldn't recall who, but it was really insightful) 'taking great joy in making the wreckage bounce'.
You definitely didn't shriek as the barrage followed the damaged pieces back down, shelling the area around where they landed and anything which happened to be in even vague proximity. Things such as you.
"
This is fun!" Puppy said as she let loose, not stinting as shot after shot cratered the area around where the remains had initially landed.
Your somewhat undignified exit from the target zone had apparently been missed by Puppy, but as you finally stepped back onto the water (the lapping of waves beneath your feet soothing your wounds a little) it was hard to be angry with her.
The water churned beneath her feet as she spun around in place whenever both her cannons were reloading. One cannon extended out of each of her wide and baggy sleeves, her pale forefingers pointing and her thumbs pulled back as though miming a pair of guns as she went bang, bang, bang.
"
Is it dead yet? Or can I shoot something else?" She begged. Her eyes were hidden by the carapace-like hoodie, which was pulled down to almost the level of her nose, but despite that handicap she had no problem giving you puppy dog eyes, "Please? Pretty please? I want to kill something for you boss, just for you!"
She was so innocently adorable in her enthusiasm that you immediately looked around for another target for her. You absently re-prioritised a few things in your head in light of this request. Those Dockworker people could have sunk a ship or two while you were fighting, but since they hadn't...
Well, they snooze they lose?
Putting one hand on her shoulder you gently turned Puppy away from the increasingly battered shore line. She ceases fire as soon as she felt herself pivoting and for a moment you marvelled at the trust she was showing as she let you maneuver her like a tug might.
Smiling down at the shorter Abyssal you gestured towards the harbour, towards the other ships and especially those which seemed to be trying to leave the site of the increasingly violent events for the 'safety' of the open sea.
"
Oh, wondrous (and cute) minion of mine," You said slowly, squeezing her shoulder just enough that she knew that it was her who you were talking to, "I shall grant your request. In the light of it I shall allow you... four."
"Four?" Puppy asked, still speaking over the private radio channel that aloud, "Four wha-[/i]"
Something seemed to click and she was suddenly almost vibrating with excitement, "
You mean...?"
You nodded, gesturing grandly to the vessels in front of you which reminded you so much of the phrase 'fish in a barrel', "
Four to start with then we shall seem. Go on, my minion, show your might and deliver destruction to these hapless things!"
"
Anti-shipping duty!" She cried out over the radio in a piercingly loud tone.
(Why did part of you expect the word 'candy' to have been said in that tone of voice?)
She surged forward and you didn't try to stop Puppy, instead content to follow in her wake and watch the forthcoming destruction.
oOo
Out of the Fog
A (Not So) Safe Harbor 1.11
oOo
You have moderate injuries and 'scuffed paintwork'.
Minor damage to your "rudder" and radar.
oOo
What will you attempt do as Puppy goes wild?
(Vote indicates primary focus.)
[ ] Call another Abyssal as she sinks the ships.
[ ] Chat with the distracted puppy.
[ ] Get your radar working again.
[ ] Just rest and hope to recover a little.
[ ] Sink some ships yourself.
[ ] Use your radio.
[ ] <Write In - Short and
singular intention>
There may be an annoying interruption...
(Vote indicates the next encounter.
No write-ins)
[ ] Machine gun fire?
[ ] Noisy sirens.
[ ] Screaming meat people.
[ ] Things on the water.