Boys vs. Girls – Water Fight

[https://i.imgur.com/0V74omI.jpg]

Art by MysticSwordsman

Part 3 - No Mercy

From high up in a tree, a girl with her pink outfit darkened to a muddy color slipped off a branch and sailed to the ground. Her face was covered in a mask like something a ninja might wear. Her belt hung with a heavy water satchel, several filled balloons, a roll of fishing line, and the obscured shape of a rope. Her hands were covered in dark gloves with what looked like claws. When she tensed her hands into fists, they extended.

I leaned towards Habu, raised my eyebrows, and noted, "That stuff isn't allowed…"

Habu gave a little smile. "Officially, but there are many unofficial tools for each side. I'm sure a bit of fishing line, some small things like that… perhaps a knife, don't matter that much in the grand scheme of things. Don't you agree?"  

I kept my poker face and simply nodded. Whatever water on my person would be inert but I figured it might still be good as a distraction. For the moment, I kept watching as Lynx took off her mask and approached.

She had the presence of her namesake. I could tell she was looking me over with her silvery eyes like a predator would. She had the body of a gymnast.

She gave an automatic salute to Habu and reported, "The enemy has retreated and clustered around their remaining shield. I dropped a few balloon misses to keep them confused."

Habu returned the salute. "Is Whale on her way?"

"Of course, an easy target for me." Lynx didn't smile. She just nodded her head.

I refused to flinch. It was just Runt, Flannel, and Rubber left, assuming she hadn't converted them too. I knew time was running short.

I cleared my throat a little to get Habu's attention. I tried my first idea, "If you don't mind, commander, I'd like to be a part of the team which finishes off the rest of the boys. To keep the risk low, I could just go off on my own…with Lynx watching my back."

I fully expected my idea to be shot down. It was a tense moment for me. Habu rubbed her chin and told me, "You can be on recon with Lynx. Watch them and move when I give the word. Let's get you prepped for it."

I tried not to let too much of my relief show. There wasn't much of a plan in my mind, especially with someone who seemed as skillful as Lynx. I had to suspect she wouldn't trust me. That meant I might have to act against my former teammates, even if it meant losing some of them, at least temporarily.

Lynx secured a scope for me to look ahead and made sure I had some water balloons along with a pistol. Nothing too heavy or long-range. If Lynx kept to the trees, then even if I threw myself at my team I would never have a chance to turn on her.

Before we set out, Habu stopped me and gave me a look in the eye. I looked back with as much calm as I could collect. I worried she was reading me in some way. But she just gave me a pat and said, "Make me proud."

That nearly made me flinch. I really did want to make the commander proud, but she'd turned sides, not by her own choice but still. I told myself that the only way I could truly make the commander proud was by getting a victory for the boys. It was what he'd truly want.

Once we were clear of the camp, Lynx came up from behind and seized me by the shoulder. Even if I had my male body, her grip would have been impossible to break. Her eyes looked like dark clouds under the cover of the trees.

All she said was, "Don't fuck with me and I won't tie you up in a tree until nightfall." I nodded back to her until her gloves slipped away. Staring at me, she extended her claws and made her way up a nearby branch.

I watched her until she was out of sight. With no further orders, I peered around with the scope. I had a sense of where the boys were in relation to the girls' camp but, with their retreat, that probably didn't help much. I could've signaled to Lynx for some hint as to their location, but I really didn't want to deal with her again so soon. If I wandered too far off, I figured she'd probably chuck something at me from the branches.

So, I just walked over the forest terrain and stopped every so often to listen. Hearing nothing, not even Lynx moving about in the trees, I continued until I was back in familiar territory. A lingering wet spot, the place where I'd been converted, gave me pause.

If I were still a part of my team, I'd have retreated back to where we started. But knowing which direction that was would be the hardest part.

I looked with the scope in as many directions as I could. The forest was too dense to reveal anything worth following. The ground, while freshly trampled, was too uneven to show a trail.

Glancing around a few times, I took the direction which felt like a path of retreat.

I didn't keep to the cover of the trees. I wanted to present as glaring a target as possible. I kept my hands out as much as I could. The pink clashed with the brown and dark green of the forest. I had to hope that would be enough and that someone was gunning for me.

I thought for sure I was on the wrong track and, while I wandered, Lynx was sniping the rest of my former team. But hope came in the form of rustling leaves and a faint pant. It might've been my ears deceiving me, but I was sure it came from Runt.

I waited, considering my next move carefully. Calling out wouldn't be wise. Lynx would probably go ninja all over me before I could say much. I would have to be sly.

I eyed an uneven patch of dirt and stepped awkwardly into it. With my best acting, I cried out in my high-pitched voice. The faint rustling echoed out with an exclamation I knew came from Runt.

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I wanted to run out to join them but I sensed Lynx was right over my shoulder and she could take us all out in an instant if she wished. I clutched my leg tightly, feigning an injury, and whimpered.

Flannel came through the forest first. I looked up and the barrage began. It had to be more than just Lynx. The balloons and water dropped like a tactical airstrike. But Flannel appeared ready for it. He used the trees and the remaining shield. I could make out two figures low and behind him. One of them was trembling.

I sold my pain as best I could and staggered out from the tree line. Before I could cry out what I had in mind, a rope slipped around me and hoisted me up. Lynx's upside-down head peered at me with a lull in the assault. She said only, "I warned you…"

I squirmed and cursed to myself. I'd been so close. I tried a rough edge of the scope wedged in between me and the rope but there wasn't enough for me to work with. I looked up at the rope. It was secured to a high branch. I took a deep breath and clutched my hands around it. The barrage resumed.

I had a feeling this barrage wasn't all Lynx and the others had in mind. My fingers burning as I worked my way up the rope, trying to hold it tightly enough, I grunted and dug my longer nails in. I didn't have enough slack to slip out of the loop. I could hear Runt. I thought for sure he'd notice me now.

I cried out, "Water! Now!"

Through the trees, I could see Runt's eyes looking at me. Flannel's shoulder was nearby. I swung and fought with the rope. The barrage sounded almost rocket-propelled. Branches shook from the impacts and the water dispersed over a wider area. It looked like Flannel was using the remaining shield to deflect the primary hits.

The pressure of the rope was starting to constrict the other way, holding me back. I tried pulling my body in and clenched with all my strength. It slid bit by bit, clinging as I moved. I wouldn't get out of this easily. I had to get all the way up to the high branch. Hanging by a single, sore arm, I finally got the rope off. Now the small matter of getting down.

I could see Lynx's quick form hopping between the trees. I took a quiet breath and tried not to slide too quickly down the rope. Still, my hands felt like I'd rubbed them raw, but I was on the ground.

Looking through the forest, I didn't see Runt, but I did see the shield moving a bit. At least Flannel was still there. I ran through what cover I could find and listened to the wet barrage.

Panting, I saw Rubber tucked behind a large tree. I tried to signal to him. A shot sailed high and then broke above him. Before he could use his quickness, he was under a flowing shower. I cursed and watched his drenched female face, with a nose just as large as before.

Flannel burst out with a water rifle attack, cursing and yelling, "Reload!" I could see Runt staggering around. Apparently Flannel had kept him on water tank duty. I heard measured blasts from a smaller weapon and the sloshing of the tank. I knew if I went to their position they would swiftly convert me back. But I didn't want to yell again and get trapped by Lynx. I figured she was well aware of me anyway.

I worked my way over till I could see what remained of my team. I tried to signal to Runt. He was finishing with refilling Flannel's rifle and looked even more frazzled than usual. I stepped into the open. I didn't want to call our. I just gestured wildly and hoped he might look up.

His eyes darted over. I urged him with a hand wave not to speak. Flannel seemed to notice the pause in Runt and looked over too. I winced as I realized this was exactly what Lynx was waiting for. I didn't have time to yell.

The next barrage was like a coordinated strike that twisted the shield out of Flannel's grip and hit him again. The shield flew across the forest with the force of the water and settled, spinning on the ground.

Flannel managed to give one more annoyed glare before he was converted.

I gestured again. It took Runt a moment, I worried too long a moment. But he raised the rifle he'd just filled and sprayed right as the next barrage came for him. His last words as he was hit and converted were, "So cold…soooo coooold…"

I leaned forward and just caught the spray. It washed over me, and I felt my entire body shifting again, back to my previous form. I had only a moment to take this in before I realized I was the final target and bolted for the nearest tree.

Whatever fury had assaulted Flannel and Runt just intensified. The splashes against the tree were so hard they almost seemed to strip the bark like a fire hose. I feared they would curl around and hit me anyway.

Lynx's raw yells echoed above me. She was sure to circle around and catch me even before her backup arrived. I bent my head towards where the shield had fallen. Though it had failed Flannel, I knew it was still my only chance.

I looked on the ground for rocks. I needed a distraction.

I knew Lynx was not too far away in the upper branches. Hopefully, she was far enough away that hearing was her main way of locating targets instead of sight. When I had enough rocks, I looked in the other direction and threw at the trees over there.

A spray of water blasted in that direction. I ran.

Unfortunately, she had misdirection on her mind as well. I saw the balloons ahead of time and rolled as they dived right at my heels. The ground was rough. My arms and palms still felt raw, but I made it to the next tree.

This one wasn't as wide around and the next barrage was so close I felt a touch of mist from the trunk. Not enough for the nanites to convert me but enough to make me tense. I took a breath and tried a long shot, "I wanna talk! Cease fire!"

Lynx's cackles echoed as she yelled back, "No mercy!"