# CHASTITY

Author: LiveIron
Tags: Anger, Angst, Anthrostate, Blood and Injury, Car Chases, Dark past, Death, Gun, Horror, Hug, Human, Interspecies, Interspecies Awkwardness, Large Breasts, Magic, Old Friends, Pain, Paranormal, Possession, Resurrection, Size Difference, Smothering, Smothring, Spies & Secret Agents, Tiger, Tigress, Transformation, butt slapping, driving, fights, firearm, healing, monsters

I'm right here.

\>The warmth is actually a little comforting in the cool autumn night.

 

\>It gets past your suit's insulation, thawing away any chill from your flesh.

 

\>The heat dissipates inside the blaze. The world is cast in both shadow and light at once.

 

\>Rebecca's snarls and Patrick's laughter are clear above the flames.

 

\>They're both streaks of orange and silver, the tigress still wearing her otherworldly mantle.

 

\>Patrick's once-severed arm seems to be made of fire even as it grasps a half of his former staff.

 

\>You try getting a bead on him, but the human dances around the tigress too quickly.

 

\>His offhand strikes slip past her guard; embers and chaff spray beneath his feet.

 

\>Every time you line up the sights he's on the other side of her.

 

\>"Do it," Talia says. "I'll -- help."

 

\>You take a breath.

 

\>Focus.

 

\>Ignore Rebecca's grunts, ignore the laughter and the flames.

 

\>Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

 

\>The tiny 2mm slug glints in the firelight, streaking through the air.

 

\>It arcs past an errant striped tail and strikes Patrick in the head. Once again, it frustratingly stuns rather than kills.

 

\>But it's enough to give Rebecca the opening she needs.

 

\>Her roar is infernal when she slashes in an X; his body flies back in four pieces.

 

\>Then there's silence.

 

\>You stare at them for a moment before firing four rounds.

 

\>Just to be sure.

 

\>You look to Rebecca.

 

\>She's still wreathed in red flame, her stripes and sword glowing a bright white.

 

\>Her panting is deep and rumbling as she stares at his remains.

 

\>The huge blade is tight in her grip.

 

\>Her barbed tail stays steady.

 

\>But you can see a shudder run through her.

 

\>"Rebecca..."

 

\>She turns to you and turns back, eyes glimmering in the firelight.

 

\>You're worried she'll collapse again when her guard goes down.

 

\>She stays standing, but her words seem caught in her mouth.

 

\>You take a step forward when she has to gasp.

 

\>"You okay?" you ask.

 

\>"I -- Anon, I --"

 

\>The thrumming fills the air for half a second.

 

\>Then comes the sickening _crack_.

 

\>You don't have time to see the tigress fall from the flying rod; the second one whirls into your ribs and lifts you off your feet.

 

\>The scorched chaff scrapes against your hands and face as you tumble.

 

\>You groan and cough.

 

\>This time you're sure he broke some ribs.

 

\>"You think --" Patrick says, gasping, "something that small -- could kill me?"

 

\>His voice is ragged, gravely.

 

\>But the bastard is still laughing.

 

\>You get up to your hands and knees and watch the rods return to him.

 

\>He's nude now, his tattered cloak shredded to pieces by Rebecca's strikes.

 

\>His form is gaunt, his bones and muscles visible beneath pale skin.

 

\>You can't tell if the red-orange glow is from the fire or from within.

 

\>The white lines across his torso and one shoulder are certainly the latter.

 

\>"And -- the housecat can't either," he groans. "Even if she wants to."

 

\>You get to a knee, wheezing and watching him roll his limbs.

 

\>His skin seems to constrain his body, taut against the parts beneath.

 

\>The gaps from Rebecca's blade stretch at the edges.

 

\>_Any plans, Talia?_

 

\>"Kinda -- busy --" she replies. "It's still -- hot in here --"

 

\>You run your hand over your rig; one disruption charge, your utility knife, and Steele's gun.

 

\>You grunt as you try to stand.

 

\>You've got no idea if it'll work. Every paranormal entity is different.

 

\>But it's all you've got.

 

\>Your thoughts scatter at groan beside you.

 

\>"Rebecca!"

 

\>Her claws scrape the earth, groping for her sword.

 

\>A scream interrupts you before you can help.

 

\>Patrick's arm stretches out of place as he hurls one of the rods again -- your side lights up in pain even when you dodge it.

 

\>"Why do you still _help_ her?" he shouts, pressing on his limp arm.

 

\>You go to fire again, but you dive to the ground as the rod returns from behind.

 

\>"I showed you her true nature! Twice!"

 

\>The anger nearly overshadows his desperation.

 

\>"Did you not look around you?" he asks, flinging both rods this time. "Did you not see that's how they all are? That it's their nature?"

 

\>You roll away as the rod smashes the earth. A bright ringing catches your ear, and you see the other bounce off Rebecca's blade, once again used like a shield.

 

\>You land a shot as the steel flies back to his hands.

 

\>The monster hardly flinches.

 

\>You get to your feet and manage to stay up for his next throw.

 

\>"They kill, they fuck, they get away with it!" he screams, hurling the other rod at Rebecca.

 

\>She deflects it as she stands, the metals humming once more.

 

\>"I learned that the day I was born!"

 

\>It flies at her again rather than returning to Patrick's hand.

 

\>She fights back its furious blows, the rod dancing around her as wielded by a phantom.

 

\>"She killed him," Patrick says, catching the rod he threw at you. "She killed him and they did nothing."

 

\>You shoot the steel missile when he throws it again; it veers off course, but comes for you just like it did Rebecca.

 

\>The gaunt human's hands go down as you and Rebecca deal with his weapons.

 

\>"They did nothing when she did it to me."

 

\>His sunken eyes are far off. Still filled with rage, but looking at some other time.

 

\>All you have to do is not get hit.

 

\>Stun him long enough for the charge to work.

 

\>"She did it for years. Every day. I tried staying at school but they wouldn't let me."

 

\>The Kolibri won't be enough. Even with Talia's power, it only makes him flinch.

 

\>But there's no way you'd be able to fire Steele's cannon with one hand.

 

\>"They finally listened when I cut the nurse. They finally took her away from me."

 

\>The rods' strikes get slower, more powerful.

 

\>His hands clench and his head tilts down.

 

\>"But the shitheap they called a foster home was full of monsters just like her."

 

\>"Rebecca!" you shout, pulling the Tridentia from its holster.

 

\>You toss it as soon as she turns.

 

\>She catches it in her off-hand; you activate the disruptor.

 

\>"Stun him! Get him still!"

 

\>Patrick's eye light up at the thundercrack.

 

\>His rods hover still and the flames falter for a moment.

 

\>The hole in his head spurts fire just when the charge goes off at his feet.

 

\>You can feel his shriek in your teeth.

 

\>The flying rods whip around in a frenzy as his body shakes and shambles. He tries to leave the field as his body comes apart at the seams.

 

\>You can't let him escape. You've got to --

 

\>Rebecca's deep roar cuts through the noise. You take a step back as her enormous sword spins through the air.

 

\>It passes through Patrick's chest with ease and embeds itself in the charred earth behind him, leaving him pinned.

 

\>He continues his screeching struggles, scrabbling at the metal and making it wiggle.

 

\>The Tridentia thunders a second time.

 

\>Sparks glint off the handle of the blade as it sinks deeper and holds firm.

 

\>Patrick’s fingers fall off as he continues grabbing at the blade.

 

\>You stumble over to Rebecca while the rods continue to whirl and Patrick continues to shriek.

 

\>She's down on a knee, eyes scrunched in pain.

 

\>You reach up and cover her ears; she holds you tight with her free arm.

 

\>The air feels cool when it all stops.

 

\>Patrick is still.

 

\>The rods fall to the ground with a dull sound.

 

\>His eyes are still open, his chest still moves.

 

\>But there's hardly any anger in them anymore.

 

\>He's finally tired.

 

\>You let go of Rebecca's ears slowly; her arm doesn't move from around you.

 

\>"Anon," she breathes, raising the Tridentia. "Is it done?"

 

\>You shift in her grip, summoning the Kolibri and raising it in turn.

 

\>"I hope so," you say.

 

\>She huffs.

 

\>"For his sake," you add.

 

\>"For his sake."

 

\>Triggers squeeze.

 

\>Firing pins fall.

 

\>And Patrick finally rests.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/pnGaxgMe
Part of the series Negligent Discharge: Repent
Previous: https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2065366-lust.md
Next: https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2066843-garden-of-eden.md