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@adriftfighterpilot
(OOC: I made a little reference sheet for Aphid. And yes, her hair is blue. Blue aphid, as resi would put it. Anyway, I hope you like it. Thanks for RP’ing with me. It’s been nice.)
(And if one of you tries to tell her to change her species to puppy she’ll tear you a new one.)
Good day. I am Terran cosmic navy pilot Aphid. I’ve been told to contact you about some samples I’ve acquired that need to be analyzed. Are you busy?
This unit has been keeping tabs on you, done a background check and other such things. It has also been in contact with Bay Leaf, one of her ramets. Sure, why not? I'll be happy to provide you aid Aphid! Though please drop the TCN title, wayy too formal. This unit is currently on the way to the Nebula Prowler, awaiting @snaggletoothsavior 's permission. Until then, may this unit have more information on the samples? Bay leaf sounded quite concerned about them. Some Sort of iffy combat stims in liquid form?
Who is bay leaf..? Apologies, I introduce myself with my rank and position out of habit. It will be nice to meet you aboard the prowler.
The samples were found among a small camp near an old Accord airbase, to my understanding. Unknown composition. In my time I ain’t seen anything like these used, so I doubt they’re military approved. But something is clearly goin’ on there. You can have a closer look once you arrive.
Terra forever.
I got some samples. Heading back to the Prowler now. Need to contact someone called @salt-thetech-duck about them. I’m hopin’ I can help.
Terra forever.
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
Wow, y-you are... You are a fucking pro, or, what do they call them, an ace! Hahahahaha!
[Laughs, still holding onto the seat, but smiling now, confident in her friend, smiling wide, adrenaline pumping]
{I give you a happy grin and my tail thumps against the sides of the cockpit. My friend likes me.. my friend thinks I’m a good pilot.. heheh.. makes me happy.}
Heheh.. yeah.. heh.. t-thanks..
{I can’t sit still, fidgeting a bit happily, and do a little barrel roll with the fighter.}
Should we go back to base?
[Smiles warmly, excited]
Yeah, probably... You can show me some more tricks while we get there though, pup!
{I shake a little, a joyful expression on my face. My tail speeds up.}
Hheh.. p-pup.. hehh.. yeah.. okay..!
{I pull up sharply, ripping the fighter into a cobra maneuver, before hitting the throttle and flying upside-down back towards the base, changing direction in barely a couple seconds. I descend, the cockpit glass hardly a meter or two from the surface, allowing you to look up and see the terrain blurring past. Before too long, though, I roll back to face up. The whole time I’m smiling happily, hardly even seeming to concentrate on the actual flying.
After a minute or two further, we land right back where we started, and the canopy slides forward. I stand up, stretching, my floppy puppy ears twitching a little.}
Ah.. that felt good.. real good. I hope you had fun too.. heh..
I am gonna be honest, that was fucking terrifying. But this was very, VERY fun. Thank you so much. For... All of this, really!
[Gets out, shaking a little after the whole experience, but smiling]
You really are the best pilot I have ever met and will probably ever meet, puppy...
{I stumble a little. That realy never gets old .}
Ggh,,,. V nnh .. tthanks… h-heh..
{I can’t hold myself back, and I grab you, hugging you tightly.}
I’ll probably leave soon.. take those syringes to get analyzed. But I’m real glad we got to hang out again. You’re.. you’re great. T-thanks for bein’ my friend.
[the Comm. Link on the fighter bursts to Life]
You two are a cute pair
G-geh..! What the hell..? D-don’t spy on me..
{I look flustered, blushing a bit.}
Apologies. I tried to remind you multiple times about the samples. Then you two begun to bond and I found mysel elf unable to not listen, and unable to just get Out of the comms system. My Bad divas
w-well.. okay, okay.. Tch..
{I look annoyed. Too bad for my act, my tail is waggin’.}
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
Wow, y-you are... You are a fucking pro, or, what do they call them, an ace! Hahahahaha!
[Laughs, still holding onto the seat, but smiling now, confident in her friend, smiling wide, adrenaline pumping]
{I give you a happy grin and my tail thumps against the sides of the cockpit. My friend likes me.. my friend thinks I’m a good pilot.. heheh.. makes me happy.}
Heheh.. yeah.. heh.. t-thanks..
{I can’t sit still, fidgeting a bit happily, and do a little barrel roll with the fighter.}
Should we go back to base?
[Smiles warmly, excited]
Yeah, probably... You can show me some more tricks while we get there though, pup!
{I shake a little, a joyful expression on my face. My tail speeds up.}
Hheh.. p-pup.. hehh.. yeah.. okay..!
{I pull up sharply, ripping the fighter into a cobra maneuver, before hitting the throttle and flying upside-down back towards the base, changing direction in barely a couple seconds. I descend, the cockpit glass hardly a meter or two from the surface, allowing you to look up and see the terrain blurring past. Before too long, though, I roll back to face up. The whole time I’m smiling happily, hardly even seeming to concentrate on the actual flying.
After a minute or two further, we land right back where we started, and the canopy slides forward. I stand up, stretching, my floppy puppy ears twitching a little.}
Ah.. that felt good.. real good. I hope you had fun too.. heh..
I am gonna be honest, that was fucking terrifying. But this was very, VERY fun. Thank you so much. For... All of this, really!
[Gets out, shaking a little after the whole experience, but smiling]
You really are the best pilot I have ever met and will probably ever meet, puppy...
{I stumble a little. That realy never gets old .}
Ggh,,,. V nnh .. tthanks… h-heh..
{I can’t hold myself back, and I grab you, hugging you tightly.}
I’ll probably leave soon.. take those syringes to get analyzed. But I’m real glad we got to hang out again. You’re.. you’re great. T-thanks for bein’ my friend.
[Hugs her back, tight]
And thank you for giving me a chance. And for being my friend. I now understand just how bad I was... But it's in the past now, for better or for worse.
Nah, you.. you weren’t bad. You just didn’t know any better. The bad ones know what they’re doin’ and still do it. You’re a good hound. And yeah, it’s in the past. ‘Kay?
{I give you an extra tight squeeze before letting go. I give you a sharp smile.}
I guess I should be goin’ now. Thanks for the fun. I’m sure I’ll see ya again soon.
[Hugs tightly too, before letting go]
Yeah. See ya later, puppy.
{I bounce happily in place, before getting back in the fighter, and giving you a salute.}
Aphid out!
{I take off again, flying off into the stars.}
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
Wow, y-you are... You are a fucking pro, or, what do they call them, an ace! Hahahahaha!
[Laughs, still holding onto the seat, but smiling now, confident in her friend, smiling wide, adrenaline pumping]
{I give you a happy grin and my tail thumps against the sides of the cockpit. My friend likes me.. my friend thinks I’m a good pilot.. heheh.. makes me happy.}
Heheh.. yeah.. heh.. t-thanks..
{I can’t sit still, fidgeting a bit happily, and do a little barrel roll with the fighter.}
Should we go back to base?
[Smiles warmly, excited]
Yeah, probably... You can show me some more tricks while we get there though, pup!
{I shake a little, a joyful expression on my face. My tail speeds up.}
Hheh.. p-pup.. hehh.. yeah.. okay..!
{I pull up sharply, ripping the fighter into a cobra maneuver, before hitting the throttle and flying upside-down back towards the base, changing direction in barely a couple seconds. I descend, the cockpit glass hardly a meter or two from the surface, allowing you to look up and see the terrain blurring past. Before too long, though, I roll back to face up. The whole time I’m smiling happily, hardly even seeming to concentrate on the actual flying.
After a minute or two further, we land right back where we started, and the canopy slides forward. I stand up, stretching, my floppy puppy ears twitching a little.}
Ah.. that felt good.. real good. I hope you had fun too.. heh..
I am gonna be honest, that was fucking terrifying. But this was very, VERY fun. Thank you so much. For... All of this, really!
[Gets out, shaking a little after the whole experience, but smiling]
You really are the best pilot I have ever met and will probably ever meet, puppy...
{I stumble a little. That realy never gets old .}
Ggh,,,. V nnh .. tthanks… h-heh..
{I can’t hold myself back, and I grab you, hugging you tightly.}
I’ll probably leave soon.. take those syringes to get analyzed. But I’m real glad we got to hang out again. You’re.. you’re great. T-thanks for bein’ my friend.
[Hugs her back, tight]
And thank you for giving me a chance. And for being my friend. I now understand just how bad I was... But it's in the past now, for better or for worse.
Nah, you.. you weren’t bad. You just didn’t know any better. The bad ones know what they’re doin’ and still do it. You’re a good hound. And yeah, it’s in the past. ‘Kay?
{I give you an extra tight squeeze before letting go. I give you a sharp smile.}
I guess I should be goin’ now. Thanks for the fun. I’m sure I’ll see ya again soon.
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
Wow, y-you are... You are a fucking pro, or, what do they call them, an ace! Hahahahaha!
[Laughs, still holding onto the seat, but smiling now, confident in her friend, smiling wide, adrenaline pumping]
{I give you a happy grin and my tail thumps against the sides of the cockpit. My friend likes me.. my friend thinks I’m a good pilot.. heheh.. makes me happy.}
Heheh.. yeah.. heh.. t-thanks..
{I can’t sit still, fidgeting a bit happily, and do a little barrel roll with the fighter.}
Should we go back to base?
[Smiles warmly, excited]
Yeah, probably... You can show me some more tricks while we get there though, pup!
{I shake a little, a joyful expression on my face. My tail speeds up.}
Hheh.. p-pup.. hehh.. yeah.. okay..!
{I pull up sharply, ripping the fighter into a cobra maneuver, before hitting the throttle and flying upside-down back towards the base, changing direction in barely a couple seconds. I descend, the cockpit glass hardly a meter or two from the surface, allowing you to look up and see the terrain blurring past. Before too long, though, I roll back to face up. The whole time I’m smiling happily, hardly even seeming to concentrate on the actual flying.
After a minute or two further, we land right back where we started, and the canopy slides forward. I stand up, stretching, my floppy puppy ears twitching a little.}
Ah.. that felt good.. real good. I hope you had fun too.. heh..
I am gonna be honest, that was fucking terrifying. But this was very, VERY fun. Thank you so much. For... All of this, really!
[Gets out, shaking a little after the whole experience, but smiling]
You really are the best pilot I have ever met and will probably ever meet, puppy...
{I stumble a little. That realy never gets old .}
Ggh,,,. V nnh .. tthanks… h-heh..
{I can’t hold myself back, and I grab you, hugging you tightly.}
I’ll probably leave soon.. take those syringes to get analyzed. But I’m real glad we got to hang out again. You’re.. you’re great. T-thanks for bein’ my friend.
[the Comm. Link on the fighter bursts to Life]
You two are a cute pair
G-geh..! What the hell..? D-don’t spy on me..
{I look flustered, blushing a bit.}
Fine. I admit it. I am a hound. I enjoy being a hound and being called a hound and riding my mech and being praised for it excites me in more ways than one. And I like wearing a muzzle.
And if you have a problem with that, consider:
There are literal ice cream and plush people walking around, I am not that weird by comparison.
My friend Aphid will kick your ass.
Terra Invicta.
This is true. I will kick your ass.
Terra forever.
Salt tells me they're joining in the ass-kicking band
I still haven’t met this salt person. I’d like to, though..
Terra forever.
Heh, I'd like to know how you imagine they look like
I dunno, honestly. Why do you ask..?
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
Wow, y-you are... You are a fucking pro, or, what do they call them, an ace! Hahahahaha!
[Laughs, still holding onto the seat, but smiling now, confident in her friend, smiling wide, adrenaline pumping]
{I give you a happy grin and my tail thumps against the sides of the cockpit. My friend likes me.. my friend thinks I’m a good pilot.. heheh.. makes me happy.}
Heheh.. yeah.. heh.. t-thanks..
{I can’t sit still, fidgeting a bit happily, and do a little barrel roll with the fighter.}
Should we go back to base?
[Smiles warmly, excited]
Yeah, probably... You can show me some more tricks while we get there though, pup!
{I shake a little, a joyful expression on my face. My tail speeds up.}
Hheh.. p-pup.. hehh.. yeah.. okay..!
{I pull up sharply, ripping the fighter into a cobra maneuver, before hitting the throttle and flying upside-down back towards the base, changing direction in barely a couple seconds. I descend, the cockpit glass hardly a meter or two from the surface, allowing you to look up and see the terrain blurring past. Before too long, though, I roll back to face up. The whole time I’m smiling happily, hardly even seeming to concentrate on the actual flying.
After a minute or two further, we land right back where we started, and the canopy slides forward. I stand up, stretching, my floppy puppy ears twitching a little.}
Ah.. that felt good.. real good. I hope you had fun too.. heh..
I am gonna be honest, that was fucking terrifying. But this was very, VERY fun. Thank you so much. For... All of this, really!
[Gets out, shaking a little after the whole experience, but smiling]
You really are the best pilot I have ever met and will probably ever meet, puppy...
{I stumble a little. That realy never gets old .}
Ggh,,,. V nnh .. tthanks… h-heh..
{I can’t hold myself back, and I grab you, hugging you tightly.}
I’ll probably leave soon.. take those syringes to get analyzed. But I’m real glad we got to hang out again. You’re.. you’re great. T-thanks for bein’ my friend.
Fine. I admit it. I am a hound. I enjoy being a hound and being called a hound and riding my mech and being praised for it excites me in more ways than one. And I like wearing a muzzle.
And if you have a problem with that, consider:
There are literal ice cream and plush people walking around, I am not that weird by comparison.
My friend Aphid will kick your ass.
Terra Invicta.
This is true. I will kick your ass.
Terra forever.
Salt tells me they're joining in the ass-kicking band
I still haven’t met this salt person. I’d like to, though..
Terra forever.
huggin’ you tight. You ain’t alone, okay..? I’m your friend. I’m here to talk if you need it. Even florets need to vent sometimes.
-A
Mrauww, thank you :3 mrrrrpp
…and if I ever do somethin’ that gets on your nerves just let me know and I’ll fix it. Just to let you know.
Of course. We're friends, so communication is important! Owner says that it's important to always communicate your needs and wants :3
Yeah. Well, they’re right. …about.. one thing. Jeez. “Owner”. Anyway.. I hope we can hang out soon. Or somethin’.
Mrauww, well of course, owner is always right hehe :3
And I hope we can hang out soon too :3 you're always welcome on the Zealand (since, well, everyone is!) :3
Yeah.. I kinda promised @ice-cream-floret I’d come back at some point, and uh.. the doc seemed.. insistent on it. So.. I’ll be there. We can hang out too.
Terra forever, kitty.
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
Wow, y-you are... You are a fucking pro, or, what do they call them, an ace! Hahahahaha!
[Laughs, still holding onto the seat, but smiling now, confident in her friend, smiling wide, adrenaline pumping]
{I give you a happy grin and my tail thumps against the sides of the cockpit. My friend likes me.. my friend thinks I’m a good pilot.. heheh.. makes me happy.}
Heheh.. yeah.. heh.. t-thanks..
{I can’t sit still, fidgeting a bit happily, and do a little barrel roll with the fighter.}
Should we go back to base?
[Smiles warmly, excited]
Yeah, probably... You can show me some more tricks while we get there though, pup!
{I shake a little, a joyful expression on my face. My tail speeds up.}
Hheh.. p-pup.. hehh.. yeah.. okay..!
{I pull up sharply, ripping the fighter into a cobra maneuver, before hitting the throttle and flying upside-down back towards the base, changing direction in barely a couple seconds. I descend, the cockpit glass hardly a meter or two from the surface, allowing you to look up and see the terrain blurring past. Before too long, though, I roll back to face up. The whole time I’m smiling happily, hardly even seeming to concentrate on the actual flying.
After a minute or two further, we land right back where we started, and the canopy slides forward. I stand up, stretching, my floppy puppy ears twitching a little.}
Ah.. that felt good.. real good. I hope you had fun too.. heh..
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
Wow, y-you are... You are a fucking pro, or, what do they call them, an ace! Hahahahaha!
[Laughs, still holding onto the seat, but smiling now, confident in her friend, smiling wide, adrenaline pumping]
{I give you a happy grin and my tail thumps against the sides of the cockpit. My friend likes me.. my friend thinks I’m a good pilot.. heheh.. makes me happy.}
Heheh.. yeah.. heh.. t-thanks..
{I can’t sit still, fidgeting a bit happily, and do a little barrel roll with the fighter.}
Should we go back to base?
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
[Laughs manically, terrified and excited in equal measure, holding onto her seat for dear life]
Ha! Hahahahaha!
{The wind rushing past the cockpit window is loud. I laugh and turn back to face forward, spinning the engines back up and maxing the throttle just in time, jets of fire leaving scorch marks on the rocky ground as the fighter barely accelerates out of the fall, melting sand into glass as we shoot away again, flying low.
I tilt the fighter sideways and soar in between various outcrops of rock and cliff at blinding speeds, snapping the nose in different directions, leaving shockwaves behind as the sound barrier is long since shattered. I spot an arch-shaped rock, and fly directly towards it.}
Watch this~
{I flick open a safety cover on the side of my joystick and press a button, plasma cannons firing and exploding the top of the arch in a shower of brilliant debris. We manage to slip under the falling rocks just in time, bursting through the fireball and trailing smoke behind. You can smell the burnt air. I pull up, doing a giant, graceful loop, before steadying the craft.}
Okay, okay, that might be enough.. heheh.. heh.. been a while since I really let her have it like that.. god, that was fun.
huggin’ you tight. You ain’t alone, okay..? I’m your friend. I’m here to talk if you need it. Even florets need to vent sometimes.
-A
Mrauww, thank you :3 mrrrrpp
…and if I ever do somethin’ that gets on your nerves just let me know and I’ll fix it. Just to let you know.
Of course. We're friends, so communication is important! Owner says that it's important to always communicate your needs and wants :3
Yeah. Well, they’re right. …about.. one thing. Jeez. “Owner”. Anyway.. I hope we can hang out soon. Or somethin’.
huggin’ you tight. You ain’t alone, okay..? I’m your friend. I’m here to talk if you need it. Even florets need to vent sometimes.
-A
Mrauww, thank you :3 mrrrrpp
…and if I ever do somethin’ that gets on your nerves just let me know and I’ll fix it. Just to let you know.
Sorry. Facing some delays getting there. I will be there as soon as possible. Had a, uh.. technical issue with the fighter.
Terra forever.
Alright, hope everything will be okay.
I've just been living in my mech, just wherever. Found some more structures, but nothing too interesting.
I'll be heading back to base then. See you soon, hopefully.
Terra Invicta.
{After a while, you see me appear over the horizon, flying towards you. My fighter draws near, and lands beside the barracks. I step out, looking a little tired.}
Hey. I’m here..
[Gets out of the mech, looking quite unkempt, just in a white tanktop and green cargo shorts. As she hugs Aphid, she can smell that Andrea hasn't showered for days]
Hey there!
{aphid weirdly blushes at this. She doesn’t seem to hate the smell. Odd.}
H-hey.. uh.. Ahem. Hi. Good to see you again. Been okay..?
Yeah, been piloting the Stomper for days. My first time out since... The day after you left, I think? I got everything I need inside...
...except for a shower. Sorry, I probably smell like shit.
[She blushes as well, looking embarrassed suddenly, letting go and stepping away. Aphid may also notice faint marks on her face, like something was pressed against it in some points, for a while]
N-no, no. You.. uh.. s-smell goo- uh.. you.. smell fine.
{I fidget a little, tail wagging. I hope you don’t notice the blush.}
Uh.. were you sleepin’ in there..? Comfy, huh..?
The back of seat can lean down and there's a little section for the legs that comes up when it does, so, it doubles as a bed. A comfy one, at that.
[Pats a leg of the Stomper]
Anyway...
[Gets in again and comes out with a pack of syringes with "Battle Stims" she mentioned]
Here, Salt needs these for analysis.
Now, uh, how about a root beer and some snacks? I found a bunch at that base, in the vending machines.
{I grab the syringes and stash them in the pocket of my flight suit.}
Oh, hell yeah. I’m down for that. Some good Terran stuff. Lead the way.
Glad you like the mech. It suits you, I think.
{I flash you a sharp grin.}
Ha, thank you. It's very comfortable for me, too. At times I almost feel like it's an extension of my own body when I am piloting it...
[Gets out a plastic bag filled with cans of drinks and snacks and heads to the barracks, leading Aphid to an office, which she redecorated and refurnished into something like a cozy bedroom/ofiice]
Damn, forgot how nicely I made this place up. Anyway, feel yourself at home. I am gonna go take a quick shower or something.
{I smile, and my ears perk up. My tail wags happily.}
Hey, yeah! That’s how I feel with the fighter! Heh, never thought I could relate to a corpo like you about somethin’ like that..~ just teasin’.. heh, heh..
Yeah, nice place! You picked a good spot.
{I grab a chair and kick my feet up onto the table. I wave you away with a hand.}
Sure, sure. Knock yourself out. I’ll be here.
[Returns in a bit, her hair hanging wet and messy, no longer smelling like she did, instead smelling something like mint. She picks up a can of root beet for herself and Aphid from the bag]
Hey, crab flavor or barbecue flavor chips?
{You find me cleaning my pistol. It’s disassembled on the desk, and I’m polishing the slide. I glance over at you.}
Whatever you don’t want, I ain’t picky. How’ve you been, anyway? Good?
[Gets her a bag of crab flavored chips, getting a bag of pistachios for herself]
Oh, I've been great. Been seeing nature, exploring abandoned structures.
And, you know, piloting a mech has been nice. Very satisfying. I am really good at it by this point.
Mapping the place out has been satisfying, too, even if I am quite shit at cartography.
[Chugs her can, letting out a satisfied breath as she finishes it]
This place also has mysteries, apparently, which I am now highly invested in.
What about you, how have you been?
Good to hear. Sounds like a hell of a time.
{I munch on some chips.}
I’ve been okay. Reuniting with some old friends. Thinkin’ about plans. Know someone who’s been lookin’ into weapon development. I can’t wait to watch the realization of the fuckin’ weed’s faces right before they die. Oppressive fucks. Hell, I’m gettin’ antsy now, haven’t done any attack missions in a while. So at least I can do this stim research thing. Feels good to be useful.
{I lean back in my chair, taking out a small flask and pouring something into my can of root beer, then taking a swig.}
Mysteries, huh. Just the mech thing or somethin’ else I missed?
Well there were also research documents, with formatting which suggests they were made during the Compact, not before. Some sort of star research. A whole ass giant satellite relay for it, too.
And, well, these "stims" are a mystery. Haven't taken one. Could be drugs or something. Sounds like some OCNI shit.
And, well, if there will be any news about weapons, I might request some anti-affini armaments for the Stomper, hah.
[Peels pistachios with her teeth, eating them, satisfied, sometimes looking almost reluctant reaching for the lower half of her face as she does]
..probably good you didn’t take some random drugs you found in a syringe, heh. Believe me, when we get the guns, you’re at the top of my list.
{I silently watch you for a bit. I take out a cigarette and flick my lighter, taking a drag of it, before sighing.}
…So. Did you take the muzzle off right before I showed up, or what..?
Wh-
[Sighs, blushing hard, looking away]
...i haven't taken it off in days, since finding it, don't judge me...
{I raise my eyebrows, before drinking some more.}
I do not give a shit, I promise. You can wear it in front of me. I ain’t gonna tease you, or call you a hound, or whatever.. you’re my friend. I want you to be comfortable. Mmkay? Wear it or don’t, it ain’t gonna change what I think of you.
...
Thank you, I, um...
[Heads out and returns a few minutes later, wearing a muzzle, which looks basically fit for a terran. She then peels pistachios by hand, eating them by fitting them through the grates, quite skillfully so]
...I don't mind being called a hound, though...
[She says, almost whispering]
Attagirl. Looks good on you.
{I give you a genuine smile, and ruffle your hair.}
Good hound.
[Whimpers a little from that, leaning into the ruffling just a little]
...t-thank you...
mhmm.. that’s a good hound.. very, very good. I’m proud of you.
{I keep petting you a little while until you’ve had enough.}
[Eventually leans away, and pushes her back against the wall, sitting on the bed, sighing out]
Is it really fine... That I like this? That I enjoy this, being a hound, mechsplo stuff? I have been thinking it over and, like, there are people doing weirder shit out there, like, being plushies and turning themselves into ice cream...
By comparison, being turned on by riding a mech in a muzzle and getting praise and/or punishment for it isn't that weird...
{I stand up and smack you with my tail.}
Look at me, dumbass..! I am a dog..! You are fine! It’s okay..! Okay? It’s fine. Let yourself enjoy it. It’s totally fine. If someone tries to be a dick to you I’ll kick their ass. You’re a hound.
[Blinks fast, looking at Aphid, surprised]
I... T-Thank you, Aphid. I'll enjoy it then. I am a hound. I am a hound.
[She says, smiling, almost giddy]
Heh..
{I smile too.}
Yeah.. feels good, doesn’t it..? like.. you’re finally yourself. I.. heh.. I know that feelin’ too. So enjoy it. You’re a hound. And a damn good one too. Not anyone could pilot that mech around like you’ve been doin’. Good hound.
[Flustered hard, tweedling her fingers]
W-Well you are a good puppy! A cute puppy, with an adorable tail! And well-groomed fur!
{I shudder in euphoria, my eyes losing focus. My tail starts wagging furiously.}
mmhfhggghhh hhehheh.. hheh.. thankks… ww well…. Yyooure the best hound.. the best at piloting your mech.. at one with your machine.. such a pretty muzzle.. so there…
[Pets her, scritching her, still blushing hard]
W-Well, you are the cutest puppy I ever saw, a-and you are a great, powerful pilot! And it's cute j-just how much your tail wags from all this! Hehe!
{I whimper and push closer to your hand as you scritch me, ears flopping down and tail wagging so fast and unable to keep still, a happy smile on my face.}
Hheheh.., hehh.. you’re so nnice to me.. hhheh.. mmmmhhh.. pppuppy… and hound.. friends..
[Eventually just drags her into a hug, continuing to scritch her behind the ears, smiling wide]
Hehe, yeah. A puppy and a hound. Being friends.
{I hug back, tightly. It feels good to have a friend.}
I’m.. glad we met. Even if it wasn’t.. on the best terms.
Yeah, me too... I'd probably be got by the affini or still be slowly waiting to die in that bunker if it didn't happen, so... Thank you for kidnapping me, I guess, ha!
[Laughs a little, going to cover her mouth but being stopped by the muzzle]
Heh.. yeah, you’re welcome. Ain’t I a saint.. heh..
Hey. You’ve rode in the fighter before, you got enough space in that mech for me to come along for a ride?
Oh, yeah. The cockpit is actually quite big, the mech was made for long-term use. As I mentioned, a pilot could potentially spend up to a month in an Atlas without having to exit once.
[Lights up a little, talking about her mech]
There is also a retractable second seat that is usually for fire support, in case of two pilots. So, I could give you a ride, yeah!
{my ears perk up. I look excited.}
God, you’re cute. Okay, let’s go! I wanna ride.
[Gets up and heads out, taking the bag back into the mech, climbing in and helping Aphid do the same. The cockpit is relatively spacious, more than you'd expect from a mech, being essentially a small, quite minimalist living/storage space connected to the actual cockpit with an ergonomic seat with a narrow set of downwards stairs. Andrea jumps into the seat, opening the manual she has laying near her and looking through it]
Support seating, support seating... Aha!
[Eventually, she finds it, turning a switch on, bringing out a seat with two joysticks from under the floor]
Sit down and don't forget to buckle up!
Sweet.. you got it..~
{She climbs up in deftly and straps in, looking around.}
Seen the outside of these plenty but never been inside one.. this is pretty cool. What do the joysticks do?
Oh, well, they are supposed to control the upper cannons, but I don't have any installed right now, so, they do nothing.
[Straps herself in, too, booting up the mech via a complicated sequence of switches, looking in the manual, going through some sort of checklist, muttering to herself]
Oooookay, let's go!
[She runs towards an obstacle course she built previously and starts a timer on her pad as she passes the starting line, showing off her skills to Aphid, knocking down targets and clearing obstacles mostly made of shipping containers and such. She then finishes, stopping the timer, and pumping her fist]
Yes! Yes! I cut down a whole 7 seconds since I last did this!
{I look like I thoroughly enjoyed that.}
That was fuckin’ awesome.. holy shit, you’re good.. a real hound indeed..
[A little out of breath, turns back to look at Aphid, with a somewhat manic, smiling expression on her face]
Thank you! Hehehehehe! Thaaaaank you!
{I give you a pat.}
I’m curious about what the guns do.. can I see those? The big ones..
Well, right now I only have the arm guns installed.
[Raises the right arm of the mech into the view of the viewport, as something akin to a giant 4-barreled machine gun come out from it]
This is a riot suppression machine gun, containing non-lethal bullets along with several nets. In case I find someone or something less than friendly.
[Changes the arms, the left arm releasing a railgun]
This is a high-energy railgun, which uses plasma-heated material as ammo. I installed it after meeting that other mech. Should be effective enough in case I get into a scuffle with it.
I don't carry anything else for weight reasons, but I could install some of the bigger guns it had on top and on the shoulders to demonstrate if you give me a minute.
Yeah, sure! Do it, I wanna see..
[Walks the mech into a hangar and uses some sensors to precisely attach some bigger guns, along with the ammo to them, onto the mech]
Alright. Now we have some artillery guns on top, a machine gun on the left shoulder and an anti-tank gun on the right.
[Walks the mech outside, to some rows of barrels which were already visibly used as aim practice before and explains to Aphid just how to use the shoulder canons and the upper artillery guns with her joysticks, pulling out an aiming display from the wall nearby for her]
Alright, now, try it.
[Turns the mech to face the barrels]
Heh heh heh..
{I gain a dangerous, focused glint in my eyes. I take aim and fire at the barrels.}
YEAAAAAH, FUCK THEM UP!
FUCK. THEM. UP!
COME ON!
[Cheers her on as she annihilates the barrels, some of them even exploding, presumably still containing fuel]
Haha…! Fuck.. that was so awesome… thanks for lettin’ me do that..
Nah, you are welcome, anytime.
[Walks it back into the hangar and takes those guns off again]
You are kind of the reason I even got to pilot the thing in the first place, so... Yeah.
{I hop out of the mech.}
Well.. technically, you never really saw me fly the fighter for real.. just jumping between places.. wanna try it~?
Oh, fuck yeah. Let's go for a spin!
[Gets out after her and follows her]
Awesome… heheh.. let’s go..
{My tail wags happily and I run to the fighter at top speed, jumping up onto it and climbing into the cockpit. I sure have a lot of energy now..}
Come on! Strap in!
[Climbs and straps in, happy to see her friend this excited]
Ready!
{I take off, easing the ship into the air, before switching off VTOL mode. I look back at you with a smirk.}
Strap your ass in, cause I ain’t takin’ it easy~
{I turn back forward, eyes sharpening into deadly concentration. I punch the throttle, and nose up, tearing through the sky almost completely vertically, the thrust pushing you back in your seat as the engines trail long jets of fire behind us.
Then, suddenly, the engines shut off entirely, the fighter slowly losing speed before beginning to drop, falling through the air. I look back at you again, grinning wildly. I seem unconcerned that we’re plummeting back towards the ground, altimeter spinning dangerously fast.}
So… come here often? Heheh.. hahahah…!
