228. The Battle of Five-ish Armies, Part 13 [Bonny]

Team Canine Crushers (Bonny)

When the white-haired mare's blood touches her lips, Flou undergoes a startling transformation. First, the brownish bunny fur on her head turns black as night. Then a cloak of dark fur secured at her throat by a ruby clasp grows down her back to billow in the wind. Pulling away after drinking her fill, leaving a flustered and wrung-out mare behind, Flou reveals two new, prominent fangs.

Something even crazier happens next. A small bead forms inside Flou's ruby body before surfacing as it grows. The bead gains mass, taking a portion of her liquid-crystal blood, grows its own black capelet, and separates. Once on its own, it unfurls the capelet to form a pair of black bat wings. The bunny-eared, bat-winged Slime flaps its wings to hover in place beside its mistress. 

"Oh, this is nice,” Flou announces to herself, and grins like a devil. “I can regenerate First Tier Cores, now!" She turns to Olindia with a sudden glint in her eye, "If I had to bet, Olindia, I'm guessing you need to consume a ton of Cores to advance your Size modifier... I think that's something we can handle, now."

The Jellyfish girl's eyes go bright with excitement as she realizes what her Slime solidarity partner has in mind.

Her prisoner, on the other hand, is in a sorry state. "P-please, I think I'll faint if I lose any more blood..." 

"Hmph," Flou huffs with indignation as her hovering Slime minion dives down to transform into a ruby choker around the Centaurian's throat. "You're fine. Now, don't interfere with this battle if you want to live."

That said, Flou hops off the Pegasus, and her cloak splits into two bat wings that bear her aloft as she swoops toward the canine melee. 

"Is that...? Is that a new flavor of Hunter Slime???" Gabby gasps with delight as she observes Flou's new abilities. 

From my reading of the Book of Monsters, I think I understand what she's talking about. Fuzzy Slimes have several possible branching Evolution paths: Woolly, Toothy, and Tongue Slimes, to name a few, including Hunter Slimes—which reportedly have a mix of bestial attributes they can manifest at will. Abilities like a wolf's sense of smell, a Harpy's vision, or a bear's claws might be on the table for a Hunter Slime. It would've been a strong Third Tier path for Flou. However, our ruby Slime not only sampled the blood of a promoted Centaur Hunter, but a flying Centaurian Pegasus! Perhaps that served as a special catalyst for this previously unknown subtype, or 'flavor' of Hunter Slime. 

Gabby seems quite enthused about this development, and the change to Flou's strength appears to be significant. 

The bat-winged bunny girl stoops on a melee of Dire Wolves against their converted brethren. There are Hooded Falcons and even collared and chained Goblinoid Minions gathered under the Centaurian banner; they must have migrated this way while we fought in the air. The Centaurians are targeting the pink mist orgy as well! Where she flies, spilled blood levitates to soar in her wake. The crimson dripping from every scratch and puncture of the combatants falls under Flou's sway as she passes. Those yet undamaged, she gives a shallow slash with a long, ruby sword. 

Her flight is swift and agile, dodging every tooth and claw the annoyed canines throw at her. It appears she's using Blood Magic on her ruby body in conjunction with the wings to counteract some of her weight and increase her ability to accelerate, resulting in a versatile mode of transport indeed. Not that the canines have much attention to spare for the troublesome Slime flitting about when they're struggling against their former comrades for control of the Region. They barely seem to notice, and certainly don't understand the significance of Flou's actions.

A lot of blood has been spilled today. Not all of it from fatalities; just a great deal of wounds as competing sides tear each other apart. Flou's twelve base Cores allow her to control a large volume at once, which she drinks on the wing as it comes. She then processes the blood into First Tier Cores until she reaches her limit of twenty-seven. Each Core controls another gallon of blood, converting it to form their crystalline ruby slime bodies before sprouting wings, bunny ears, and flying directly into the Strawberry Moon hanging low in the sky. 

Olindia and Flou have a strong bond of Solidarity after working and screwing together for days. It seems only natural they'd join forces in such a clever exploit to feed the Jellyfish Slime's Evolution.

While that's going on, Opal tries to shepherd the Sweet Bees home without success. They insist on descending to help support Steelheart while giving the Melusine no option to refuse, as herding a bunch of flying toddlers is patently impossible. At least the Pseudo-Hydra will have some air support.

Which is good, because a Cataphract has already arrived to finish him. Steelheart had his hands full simply fending off the Chained Wolves and Hooded Falcons with his threefold fire breath. When he turns one stream of flame on the advancing armored Centaur, a raised shield blocks it.

I wouldn't think a simple piece of metal could withstand that heat, but then I notice a wintry aura escaping through the tiny gaps in the Cataphract's scale mail. She's using some kind of Cold-type Elemental Token from her inventory to reinforce her Fire Resistance! The flames splash and lick at the shield, but do no damage as she closes the distance.

Seeing this, Steelheart turns all three of his heads on the Centaur. His fire burns all the hotter, but he's set upon from behind by multiple enemies for the sake of concentrating his flames. 

Wading through the fiery stream, the Cataphract nears Steelheart and delivers a backhanded shield bash to the Pseudo-Cerberus's face. It momentarily stuns him, though he's too massive to be done in by a single such strike. Even an instant of incapacitation in this situation results in several leather straps and chains wrapping around the reptilian warrior's extremities, however. 

A rain of venom darts disrupts the scene just when Steelheart seems about to fall. Hooded Falcons have no recourse against the painful barbs, wings being delicate instruments, and have to retreat or be grounded. The Chained Wolves growl and snap at their attackers as they're pelted from above. Canines are tougher monsters than birds, but the venom now coursing through their veins will gradually weaken them. 

These same darts ping uselessly against the Cataphract's armor as the female Centaur hefts her mace for a fateful strike. A spray of boiling venom gives her pause, though, and she aborts the attack to dodge backward a step. It seems that Cold Token isn't inexhaustible; the Cataphract probably doesn't want to waste it unnecessarily. Her hand hovers over the bow strapped to her back as if deciding whether to target the land-bound or aerial enemy first.  

With the arrival of airborne reinforcements on our side, this melee has become a bit more of an even battle. Unless more subordinate monsters pour in from the other areas of the battlefield, it'll be a tough call to decide the victor. 

Meanwhile, Gabby flies Moka and me back to Ariella's team and the Alpha Bitch. 

The aquatic team is being overwhelmed before our eyes. Even though they managed to reform their Water bubble, it's no use if they're dragged onto dry land. Ariella is in a tug of war with two Chained Wolves for control of her trident while the dogs snap at Kani's flanks and dodge the crab's pincers. The Sharkkin is halfway out of the bubble, Hooded Falcons flapping hard to pull on the leather straps tied to one end, while the Tendra and Scallopia hold onto the Shark girl's legs. 

Most of the Subordinates on this side of the battlefield have thankfully gone after the Alpha, as she's the bigger threat, except the Hooded Falcons are terrified of her jump height and won't go near her. That Bitch has no compunctions with biting the shit out of her former packmates, scarring their snouts with her claws, or just bowling them over with her greater strength and bulk. Anyone foolish enough to try to chain her gets dragged around like rag-dolls. 

Thus, the Cataphracts send two of their number to face her. 

A volley of arrows and a pained yowl establish the rules of engagement. The Cataphracts have a ranged attack that can penetrate the Bitch's Toughness, demanding that she bring the fight to them. 

She charges.

The Cataphracts stow their bows and draw lances from some kind of pocket-dimension satchel. This is a frightening weapon in their hands that focuses all the momentum of a collision into a single sharp point. With the forces at play between these huge monsters, a bad hit at full speed could be lethal.

Centaur and canine circle each other, making feints and rushes in turn while attempting to catch one another out. Hooves thunder on the ground, and massive paws tear up the soil. The Bitch is faster and more agile, but there are two Cataphracts moving in choreographed patterns to guard one another's blind spots. It's another close call, and the result may well sway the balance of the battlefield.

Our main attention lands on Ariella's group, though, to consolidate our forces and aid our allies. Air Blades sever the bindings on the Triton's Trident. A dust explosion scatters the Chained Wolves. Fast-growing vines latch onto Hooded Falcon traitors and drag them to the ground, where they're bound and gagged. Between Gabby, Moka, and me, we have plenty of firepower and multitasking focuses to turn a battle on its head in an instant.

The aquatic team rights themselves, divests the remnants of chain and leather still clinging to them, and gives us appraising looks. "I suppose we should be grateful," Ariella says to Gabby with a dignified affectation. "I'll be sure to show you my appreciation after we rescue Alex."

I... I think that big fish lady wants to fuck my mistress. Okay, wow, I can't think about that right now, or my ears will start billowing steam.

Gabby rolls her eyes and points upward. The tides are changing yet again.

There's a metaphysical *click* I can feel in the air as Olindia absorbs the last necessary Core, courtesy of Flou feeding her a constant stream of the bunny-eared blood bats. All of her tentacles retract into a bright strawberry moon that hangs in the air above us. Her glow intensifies as she grows in size, consuming more of the sky by the second until she's truly Huge.

Olindia appears as a separate figure walking around inside the bell of her house-sized Jellyfish mantle. Scores of tendrils, each dozens of meters long, unfurl from her body and throw the battlefield into chaos. While the Hooded Falcons are too agile, the Chained Wolves are easy prey for the nimble, stinging feelers. Canines are plucked from the ground and tossed toward the Omega's pheromone cloud (still active despite their capture) in rapid succession. 

This event comes on the heels of a great collision. Three Cataphracts slam into the Beta and Night Howler mere moments before Olindia's Evolution. These two canines are hemmed in on all sides by the ranks of their former allies to prevent their evading with no aid in sight. As it stands, the Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta Wolves are chained, helpless, watching this unfold. 

Three lances drive deep into the flanks of the Beta and Night Howler, with two striking the larger wolf. Each blow is a nonfatal injury intended to sap the strength of the target. Their goal is still capture.

A tremendous pair of pained howls echoes across the grass. No matter the number of Subordinates restraining them, neither canine will let such a strike pass without reprisal. The Beta's jaws fall on a Cataphract with the crushing power of a steel vice.

As canine fangs dent her armor, the Cataphract activates some hidden Token. Billowing clouds of sticky black smoke erupt from the gaps in her suit to fill the Beta's mouth. He coughs and hacks as if breathing and tasting the most bitter thing imaginable. Hmm, it's like the Centaurians were forewarned about the enemies they'd face and came prepared to fight bestial foes in particular...

The Second Centaurian pushes the jaws off of her comrade with the strength of desperation, wraps a rope thrice around the Beta's coughing mouth, and pulls out her leather flogger. The first straightens her armor, switches off the smoking Token, and starts helping with the rope. They work together with trained coordination and skill.

Beside them, the Night Howler is a tangle of writhing roots that defensively coil around herself and her attacker. Vines and sapling trunks tighten on the third Cataphract like constrictor snakes. 

However, the difference in their strengths is not so much that the Centaurian can't budge. The third Cataphract reaches for her satchel and pulls out a vial she unstoppers with a thumb to then pour through a slit in her helmet. In seconds, the Centaur's biceps bulge beneath scale mail as a powerful aura erupts from her body. An axe drawn from her pack gives the muscular woman the final edge she needs to start dismantling the woody wolf. Chopped-up pieces of root and vine go flying. The Night Howler can't grow faster than the berserker can cut during this temporary onslaught. 

Unfortunately for the Centaurians, two can play at interfering with a battle! 

Jellyfish tentacles wrap around the wolves' middles and drag them away from the melee while slowly healing their wounds via Strawberry aura. A truly massive ruby sword with bat-wings on the cross-guard crashes down the instant they vacate the space, blocking off the Cataphracts' advance like a barricade. Twenty-six Cores embedded in the blade maintain its shape, volume, and control its movement.

Flou drops from the air onto the blade's spine with her arms crossed. Her bat wings fold into a dark cloak clasped at her neck and a smirk plays across her mouth as she says, "Don't you three have somewhere else to be?"

The Cataphracts look left and right. 

To their right, the Cataphract that went after Steelheart is employing a tactical withdrawal. Sweet Bees keep the vulnerable Subordinates at bay with their Venom Darts while Opal and the Pseudo-Hydra bake the armored warrior in her shell. Flame breath and boiling venom from above give her no option but to flee the scene before her protective Token runs dry. 

To their left, the two Cataphracts facing the Alpha have just checkmated the Bitch with clever maneuvers and are about to skewer her with lances when we arrive. An earthen wall rises from the ground at the last minute, forcing the Centaurians to abort their deadly charge. 

With their best shot at getting the Bitch foiled, the duo about-face as the huge wolf bounds over the wall to chase after them. We fly overhead while pelting the retreating Centaurs with dust-explosions, snowballs, and Air Blades.

A startling sound grabs everyone's attention for a brief moment. The pained whine of a great, old wolf pierces the din of battle. We all look to find Suka and the de-powered Wolf Lord both falling as if from a climactic collision. Suka stumbles to her feet, bald from lack of flame, her beast-shape scattered, but she exerts her will to cover herself in a new rush of fiery fur and flame claws. The Wolf Lord, though, struggles to rise and limps on three paws when he finally manages it. Their battle is nearing its conclusion. Either way, a canine Leader will soon emerge.

The three Cataphracts in the middle return their gazes to a fully-powered Flou and the Strawberry Jellyfish tentacles reaching down from high above. 

"Fuck this," one says. 

"Abort mission, report to Glimmer!" the next says as they join the rout. 

Seeing their mistresses fleeing the field, the Hooded Falcons and Chained Wolf Minions break ranks completely. It's a chaotic, disordered scene that allows the Omega Wolf to escape and slip away along with those caught in their pheromone cloud.

Our job is not yet done, though. Not everyone has had their fill of fighting.

Steelheart, Opal, the Sweet Bees, Flou, and Olindia all collapse on the Night Howler and the Beta, Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta Wolves. Jellyfish tentacles grab and throw wolves, creating chaos, causing pain, and being a general nuisance. Boiling venom and darts fall like rain on the unsuspecting canines who are forced to dodge or suffer greatly. Steelheart grabs the Night Howler and bathes her in flames as she desperately regrows her greenery. 

Flou engages the Beta Male directly, Slime versus Wolf. She wields that tremendous blade as a way to bridge the gap between her Second Tier Offense and his Third Tier Defense. Its sheer mass is a quantity with a quality all its own, like a bladed wall falling with each strike. 

The number of Cores she employs allows her to be flexible as well. That level of distributed intelligence lets her split the sword lengthwise into scissors, or a saw-toothed circle, or more than two-dozen homing daggers. Whenever the Beta shatters a Core, all Flou has to do is land a scratch, and a stream of blood pours forth into the Red Slime that soon forms a replacement. She's a perpetual motion machine of blood and blades!

Not to mention her wings, which propel her forward, lift her into the air, or allow her to change direction mid-leap. They greatly improve her mobility and speed beyond what was already possible for a Slime girl who can reform her body to face the opposite direction without turning. 

The Beta Male struggles to pin Flou down for a blow of any significance. He sees his subordinates being tormented by flying toddlers, manhandled by tentacles, and subjected to three types of venom. He sees Suka deliver a flying kick to the limping Wolf Lord's head. Then something in him falters.

The Beta Male lifts his head and howls. Canines across the field perk up in response; they quit the battle as one, retreating with haste. The Delta Wolf, the Epsilon Wolf, and even some of the Chained Wolf Subordinates break off to follow as the Beta runs away. Flou lets them leave without reprisal. It isn't worth chasing them for now.

Ah, it looks like I was right, that Subordinate bond isn't mind control. The Chained Wolves lost faith in their mistresses after seeing the Centaurians retreat. As for the changes wrought upon them, those aren't so easily dismissed.

On our side, Ariella's team blasts the Alpha with a torrent of water the moment we know the Centaurians are gone for good. A broad stream hits the Bitch's flank, and the big wolf whips about with incredulity. It's not betrayal on her canine face. It's that she can't believe a group of Second Tier monsters has given her so much trouble or that they'd dare try such a paltry attack.

They aren't alone, though. 

The ground beneath her loosens into mud. Falling snowballs freeze her in patches. Then Gabby throws her empowered, tripled, and merged Electric Sheeple shock. 

When the Alpha Bitch tries to dodge, she struggles against the press of the stream, tugs against the sucking mud, and cracks the sheets of forming ice. Too slow.

*ZZZAAAP!*

The water flow cuts out, so the electricity doesn't travel upstream. Instead, the majority of the arcing blue magic strikes the Bitch square on the back. A big puff of steam rises from her as the water soaking her fur instantly boils away.

"Grrr," the Alpha is shaking, but she isn't down for good yet. 

A triple-power dust explosion courtesy of myself, Moka, and Gabby working together detonates under the Bitch, who rolls out of the smoke cloud singed and officially done with this shit. Her howling voice resounds across the field as she turns tail and runs. Another batch of Chained Wolf Subordinates and the Zeta Wolf follow her retreat.

There's a pregnant pause as we realize something. 

"Did we win?" I ask, unable to believe my eyes and ears. 

Suka's flaming heel drops on the Wolf Lord's head. The Canine Leader hits the ground. This time, he doesn't rise.

Gabby scoffs. "Was there any doubt?"