To say that Squealer was angry about her shrunk tank-jeep was an understatement. Especially so when she realized that Annette was most likely also responsible for her new micro-car weeks ago.
"So you're the cum-guzzling cocksucker who turned my favorite ride into a tiny clown car!" Squealer screamed, "Do you fucking know how long and difficult it was to pry me out of that small car? I was stuck in there for a full day before my guys came and pried me out, you shit-magnet! And then you dared to do this shit again? Fuck you!"
Annette ducked behind the corner of a building as the enraged vehicle tinker shot at her.
Rusty, the robodog who had been tagging along this whole time, growled softly at her feet and then looked up at her for permission to do something about the ruffians attacking them.
Annette nodded at Rusty, and the robotic dog shot out of cover to rush at Squealer with a loud growling noise.
She wondered why Skidmark wasn't coming after her too when the sound of Lung's roars and Kaiser getting cursed out by Skidmark answered that for him. Seemed like he decided to go straight for the men instead of helping Squealer deal with her new worst enemy.
That was something she was okay with, actually. She really didn't want to have to deal with all four capes at once, ya know?
But for now, she had to deal with Squealer chasing and shooting at her. She needed to be able to fight back, gain the higher ground… She looked around the corner of the building to shoot at Squealer once she was distracted by fighting off Kismet's robot-dog, but Squealer had moved out of the way so all she did was successfully shrink some trashcans with her shrink raygun.
Annette took a deep breath and pulled--
>Ding<
Roll 12--Gundam Rock. a cover album by Andrew W.K., released on September 9, 2009, only in Japan. The album consists of covered music from the Gundam series to celebrate its 30th Anniversary.
Effect: A wide-area trump effect of up to 20 feet in each direction that increases the effectivity and cognitive processes of robots and machines everywhere. All machines will find themselves in peak condition for as long as they're in this area. However, once they leave this area they will go back to normal. Not only that but any sapient machines will constantly hear sixteen different songs playing in the background that make them feel inspired to do their best. Humans will hear the songs now and then too, but it has no effect on them.
Nope. Another dud. She needed something that could stand up to Squealer's gun!
Although Rusty seemed to be holding himself very well there in a fight. He was expertly dodging all Squealer's attacks and actually seemed to be driving her away from Kismet so that she couldn't take any more potshots at the heroine. Such a good boy.
"Fucking mutt! I'm gonna rip your robot apart and mount his head on my wall like a hunting trophy!" The vehicle tinker screamed in frustration once she realized that the robot dog wasn't letting her get anywhere close to Kismet.
"You do that and I'll nail your ass to the wall!" Kismet yelled back.
Kismet pulled again--
>Ding<
Roll 10--Opposition to Hunting. Espoused by people or groups who object to the practice of hunting, often seeking anti-hunting legislation and sometimes taking on acts of civil disobedience, such as hunt sabotage. Anti-hunting laws, such as the English Hunting Act 2004, are generally distinguishable from conservation legislation like the American Marine Mammal Protection Act by whether they seek to reduce or prevent hunting for perceived cruelty-related reasons or to regulate hunting for conservation, although the boundaries of distinction are sometimes blurred in specific laws, for example when endangered animals are hunted. Animal rights activists argue that hunting for sport is cruel, unnecessary, and unethical. They note the pain, suffering, and cruelty inflicted on animals who are hunted.
Effect: Mild master effect takes place on this land in a large radius that gives human beings an aversion to harming animals for sport, the idea of hunting itself, and makes them rethink how all non-human living creatures might be treated better in the future. Wears off shortly after they leave the radius.
Ugh, nope. It must've been reacting to what Squealer said, but it was a dud in terms of usefulness. Time to pull again.
>Ding<
Roll 29--Vektor R4. South African 5.56×45mm assault rifle. It entered service as the standard service rifle of the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1980. The R4 replaced the R1, a variant of the 7.62×51mm FN FAL. It was produced by Lyttelton Engineering Works (LIW, "Lyttelton Ingenieurswerke"), now Denel Land Systems. The weapon is a licensed variant of the Israeli IMI Galil assault rifle with several modifications; both the stock and magazine are now made of a high-strength polymer and the stock was lengthened, adapting the weapon for the average South African soldier. Other detailed differences include the R4's lack of a carry handle and a number of improvements made to its internal operating mechanism.
Effect: A 80's rifle that is very durable as hell, and won't run out of bullets… not ever. Infinite Ammo for the win!
Finally!! Now she had a decent chance of fighting back!
She tucked away her ray gun and hefted up her new weapon as she rushed out of her hiding spot and started firing at the other woman like crazy.
Her rifle made a loud noise that seemed to fill up the place with the sheer volume of sound it had going for it, followed up with a skin-slapping explosion noise as it fired off several rounds of ammo.
Jeez, she had gone without firing a gun for so long that she honestly forgot how loud those things could be in real life compared to the movies. Thankfully she was wearing her helmet, which provided some degree of ear protection.
It was Squealer's turn to be pushed back as she now hid behind a Dumpster as she peered out now and then to fire back at Kismet. Meanwhile Rusty trotted back to be at her side once again.
To the side, there was now a three-way melee going on between Skidmark, Lung, and Kaiser. It wasn't that surprising to learn that Skidmark was the one losing slowly in that three-way Melee, as both Kaiser and Lung hardly seemed to pay him any mind other than to swat him out of the way like he was an annoying fly. Oh dear, it seemed like Lung was so much, much bigger than he was a few moments ago. There were wings starting to grow on his back.
It was only thanks to Skidmark's forcefields and the power tracks he laid down that he didn't get killed outright and were still holding his own in the fight.
Kismet tried to hit him with her shrink ray while he still had his back to her, but Squealer kept on distracting her by taking potshots at her once again.
It was then that Velocity appeared in a fast blur, and reappeared next to her so quickly that it startled her into pulling at her power again instinctively.
>Ding<
Roll 19-- Fear processing in the brain. Many experiments have been done to find out how the brain interprets stimuli and how animals develop fear responses. The emotion, fear, has been hard-wired into almost every individual, due to its vital role in the survival of the individual. Researchers have found that fear is established unconsciously and that the amygdala is involved with fear conditioning. By understanding how fear is developed within individuals, it may be possible to treat human mental disorders such as anxiety, phobia, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Effect: Annette gains a thinker power that allows her to learn about how fear itself works in all living creatures, how to treat anxiety, phobias… or just simply make the symptoms even worse, should she desire to do so.
"Don't pop out of nowhere like that! You nearly scared me to death!" Kismet grumbled as she took cover from one of Squealer's attacks.
"Sorry. So I see you're having some trouble and would like some help?" Velocity replied.
"Yup, I had my daughter evacuate all the civilians out of here so that they wouldn't get caught in the crossfire… the next step was to try to arrest the offending capes. But as you can see they aren't cooperating. Squealer keeps on covering for Skidmark and so on forth." Kismet answered.
"You distract her, while I sneak up on her?" The speedster suggested.
Kismet just nodded at that and stepped out with Rusty to engage Squealer head-on. Thankfully, she seemed to have run out of ammo for her own gun and was in the process of reloading her gun.
This gave Rusty a chance to rush at her before she could finish loading her automatic shotgun, and he growled loudly as he dragged her down to the floor while Velocity quickly came around behind Squealer and knocked her out.
"Good dog?" Velocity said, unsure as to what was the proper way to address a robot dog.
Rusty just wagged his metallic tail and tilted his head at the protectorate cape with what looked like a doggy smile on his face. Velocity smiled back a that.
He jerked in surprise when Kismet rushed over to shoot Squealer with what looked like a ray gun, only for Squealer to start shrinking to the size of a banana.
Kismet just shrugged and said, "Just thought they'd be easier to contain and manage that way? I can return them back to normal later."
At that, she then turned to face the three battling capes and shot at them too… starting with Skidmark.