The Scout Who Cried 'Wulf'

“Oh, maaan, Ted's so good,” Cherry gushed to Marina as she signalled the sniper up the ladder, “He totally knows just when to ease up, and just when to, like, push harder... he's totally incredible!” Marina Wulfstan climbed up silently, wishing to herself that the noisy scout would miraculously keep to herself while she was here. Marina vaulted the end of the ladder, already in motion, dragging the body of the patrolman clear from the ledge before setting down.

Cherry Stijnen bunkered down against a chimney, reminiscing on another well-spent night in a Ted's company. “And he loves warming up as much as doing it,” she continued, “he takes off my dresses real slow, takes care not to just rip my clothes off... like, he treats me like a present, like, the kind with the pretty wrapping you want to keep, y'know?”

Marina clearly didn't know, and didn't care. She crouched down over the edge of the building, staying out of sight while scoping the surroundings. “Two shocktroopers by the objective,” she reported in, ever mindful of her role in the team, “Engineer and shocktrooper bunkered on the east side, light tank providing cover. Scout concealed in foliage further east, no clear shot. Orders, commander?”

“This is a surprise attack,” Welkin answered over the radio, “Take out as many shocktroopers as you can to cover our scouts' advance, then the engineer to make Largo's lancers stick to that tank. Rosie, take care of anything out of Marina's sights.”

“I don't blame him, though,” Cherry effortlessly segued, “they are beautiful clothes. Got them through a mail-order catalogue in Gallian Girl. Took like forever to save up for them, but they were totally worth it. You know, you should try something flowy sometime, Marina. It'd feel, like, so much better than those jeans and tees you always wear, y'know? You'd totally look better for it...”

“Ugh...Stijnen's right here, surely she can handle one scout,” Marina reasoned with the commander, squeezing the trigger and hearing the satisfying thud of an enemy falling dead. Please, get her away from me...

“Negative,” Welkin replied, “if something goes wrong you'll need the support. Cherry will back you up. Until we're in position, the field is yours.”

“...roger, commander,” Marina acquiesced, her shoulders lumping with a dejected sigh as she lined up a shot. Cherry noticed this, and moved to her comrade as she fired, dropping another trooper.

“Aw, don't worry, sweetie,” she cooed into Marina's ear with a pat on her shoulder that would've ruined the sniper's shot, “It's not a lost cause! Once we get you into some good clothes, you'll be totally hot! Of course, we'd have to do something with those nails, too... mmmaybe some eyeshadow wouldn't go astray, either... but it's probably mostly the hair. We need to totally pull it away from your eyes, y'know, let the guys know, like, what they're getting...”

You stay the hell away from my hair. “That's wonderful, listen,” Marina managed through gritted teeth, looking up with a glare that stopped Cherry in her tracks, “I need to concentrate on this, okay?”

“Oh, um, like, totally...” Cherry sat back down, watching the quiet woman absorb herself in her task. Marina could still feel the scout's eyes on her, and it unnerved her. Her aim was wandering over the enemy shocktrooper; arm, torso, leg, neck, clean air... She felt agitated around anyone, let alone someone as obnoxious as her. She felt the eyes on the back of her head leave, and her aim steadied...

“We could probably do something about that personality of yours too,” Cherry commented, getting straight back into it, “it's no wonder the guys don't look twice at you...”

What the fuck!? Marina's hands shook violently as she pulled the trigger, executing what was possibly the worst shot she had ever fired in her military career. The shocktrooper was thrown from his feet, a bullet flying through his lower leg. He went down with a cry, and a grimace of pain, alerting all his friends to the hostile presence. Marina shot Cherry a glare that froze blood.

“Damn... Turner, move forward and finish that guy off. Wulfstan, what's going on?” Welkin asked from the radio, as the screams of the poor shocktrooper intensified briefly, before petering out. “Are you under attack? I can get Nelson there to back you two up...”

Marina steeled her gaze at Cherry. “Won't be necessary, commander,” she said coolly, “I can deal with it.” Marina reached over, grabbing the scout by the scruff of the neck. Cherry gasped in surprise as the sniper pulled her close, and placed her lips over hers.

What..? Cherry's eyes went wide as Marina's mouth closed over hers, as her tongue explored Cherry's own, lapping and drawing at it, trying to coax it into action, action that Cherry's mind couldn't make through the shock of being kissed by another woman. She's..! Cherry sat paralyzed under the ministrations of the sniper, and could only look blankly at her as she closed the kiss, pulling away gently, smirking at the scout. She pushed Cherry back sharply, Cherry falling flat on her behind as Marina turned back to the road below.

“My roof,” Marina said, as she cocked her rifle, lining up a shocktrooper on the ground. She's... Cherry managed to herself as Marina put a bullet through the enemy's eyeball.

“My rules,” Marina cocked again, turning to the rear base and lining up a second, sliding a slug under his visor. Cherry could still only manage to sit and stare bug-eyed at the woman, the synergy of weapon and soldier in efficient, cold-blooded unison, cocking her rifle a third time in as few seconds.

“My way.” she finished, planting the third round into the engineer's ear, who went down like a sack of potatoes.

Welkin's voice crackled again. “The road's clear! Lancers, scouts, move up and clear that tank!”

The whistle of Largo's rocket screamed from the street, ending with a deep, resonating explosion, the shot a direct hit on the tank's radiator, destroying the vehicle in one deft move. Alicia moved forward, her footsteps echoing on the cobblestone road. Marina smiled as she surveyed her handiwork, quickly glancing at the frozen scout before turning back to the ladder, leaving Cherry to gather her thoughts.

She's... she's good... She wasn't sure if she meant a good soldier or a good kisser.

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Will continue this one when I get the time. In the meantime, criticism is welcome.