VikingPenguin99

Archaic Circuitry: Old Code, Young Blood

It didn't take but a second for Erin to realize she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Trying to pin the mammoths entire backside solo had been a laughably miscalculated endeavor. Between being unable to get a solid grip and trying to outmatch the beast in strength, trying to pin the beast was so hopeless it made her start wondering why she thought it would work in the first place. The realization had just begun digging a pit in her stomach when she felt the large creature preparing to kick. They clenched their eyes and braced themselves for what was surely gonna be a crushing blow.

Damn. Had the job for hardly 'n hour and already gonna get stomped out. I knew the gig was way riskier than my previous schticks. Should've been more careful. Aint no time to dodge and no one else back here to help. Crud, there has to be some way to not get smashed to bits on my first day.

The obvious solution hit her just before the beast stomp to her abdomen. It shoved her down and under its giant foot. She reached back with her magic as they went down, liquifying the ground beneath her. Once both her and the scaled leg pinning her were fully submerged in the quickly solidifying ground Erin twisted around and swam away to get from under her adversary.

Once they were a safe distance she came up to the surface. She crested with just her eyes the tip of her snout poking up, facing the beast. The stonehorn's confusion was apparent even from this angle. She glanced at the front of the beast to see her new coworkers swarming its horned bust. The gunshot gave a momentary spike in hope. Maybe the fight was finished as instantaneously as it had begun! In a second the pause was over and the brawl had reignited in full force.

Damn! I thought with how loud that was surely it'd do more. Back to it I suppose. I don't see much of a need for me in the circus up front, and I'd pro'lly be more in the way than actually accomplishing anything at all. However big 'n' brutish is really struggling to get its foot back out of the ground. I think I can keep that nasty looking tail from becoming a problem. Alright its laying limp about ten feet away or so. Hopefully this beast doesn't start flinging that thing around all willy nilly.

With that Erin dived back down deep. After full body length or two they corkscrewed into a U-turn. They swam up with at full speed. Right upon breaking the surface the tip of her snout bumped in something, presumably, hopefully, the reptiles tail. The snapping instinct that for so much of Erin's life was a debilitation was for the first time a benefit. The moment her jaw locked on to the lower end of the appendage and she jerked her head to start diving back down. They towed the beasts tail down deep into the dirt.

Archaic Circuitry: Old Code, Young Blood

Hunger woke Erin far earlier than they had planned. It took all of the motivation in their body to hoist herself off their cot and drudge to the almost barren pantry. Carefully she swept the canned rations off the bottom shelf into her pack with their tail. With lunch now accounted for they tentatively reached for the nearest can.

Come on dearie, you can do it. That's it, grasp with one hand, hold it in place; pinch the pull tab with the other. Fuck it snapped off, let me just get a closer look I'm sure I can get this....

The instant after she started to adjust her look they knew they had slipped up. They tried to hold themself back from the involuntary lurch forward and subsequent hawking back of the entire can. The attempt was not unlike a small child trying to dogwalk a car. The can and its contents vanished down her gullet with a gulp that filled the small basement apartment. A shameful sigh was what came up in response.
Well nothing can be done bout it now but try again. Maybe the aches later will be tolerable later. Are lies whiter when they are to yourself?

The snare tucked behind the shelves was retrieved and her jaw was affixed to prevent subsequent incidents. The aluminum string stung but small pain now was worth avoiding worse pain later. Hopefully one day they wouldn't need the damned thing and would just be able to maintain basic self-control. By the time the remaining cans had been emptied onto the table and the self applied muzzle was off the drone of the rust gnats above had been drilling into their skull for minutes. It was almost bothersome enough to drive out the undeniable fact that rent was not getting made this month. Junk-diving wasn't cutting it; hadn't been for a while now. Only one other place in this town where she could apply themselves enough to earn a living.

The VET office was crowded by the time her tail was dragged through its door. She tried to find a corner to consume, it and her yellow sundress attempts to appear less imposing. Strangers too often see their own instigations as defensive if their victim is perceived as the inherent threat, and the Odilia's had passed down the lesson down. Granted the fellers round this room prolly 'ave swam that same pond. they thought after a few glances round the room at her future coworkers. She listened attentively when her new boss spoke, stifling a chuckle at the "sit in my lap" line. Ma'am you may be good for your size but id still crush ya, lil thing. A head pat was a far more plausible reward, but hopefully this place offers some nice financial benefits somewhere; my landlord ain't gonna take a lil head pat.

Erin existed after most of the crowd and subsequently showed up after the others had already gotten started in bringing the beast down.

Most of the others seemed like smaller folk, staying at a distance or trying to look for a soft spot to capitalize upon and a route to it. Except blondie who seems to be attempting match this thing head on. I recon the scales on the underbelly have to be a might softer than the ones there on the back. If I can simply get by.

They dove into earth, which while mere seconds ago was hard rock, now moved round them like calm water. For most of the charge only eyes and snout were visible, but once they got close enough she took a deep breath and dived. Seconds later she ruptured forth adjacent to the stone-horns left hind quarter. Her jaws tried to lock on the base of the tail, right hand grabbing further down to control the flail like appendage, left hand on its hip. She put all of her weight into trying to force the beast down either into a sitting position or onto its side.

Archaic Circuitry: Old Code, Young Blood

Name: Erin Odilia
Age:23
Species:Wasteman
Height/Weight:6’3” 450 lb
Sex/Gender: AFAB, They/She Nonbinary
Appearance: A large crocodilian with forward facing eyes. While primarily bipedal her shorter legs don't get their torso that far off the ground. Alternates between sundresses and overalls depending on the occasion. She attaches her backpack to their long lazy tail that drags along behind her when it's not being held for stimming. Their limbs are covered in mock tattoos painted on in a pixel art-esque style using her scales. Currently the theme is sunflowers but there is one left on her tail of a lil’ guy from a comic she found that hasn't rubbed off yet.
Personality: Stubborn, straightforward and traditional. Simplest path forward and maybe thinks 2 moves ahead. She comes off as quiet and shy at first but is a jovial spirit once that initial shell is broken. At times she will overcorrect into overly kind and humorous when she feels like others are viewing her as intimidating, rude or hostile. Often described as lazy, though she explains it away as patient.

What Are You Looking For?:A place to call home.
Capabilities: 1) Junk Diver 2) Wrestling (in vein of wwe) 3) Junk Magic
Magic Form(s): Junk Magic

• Basic Kinesis ability: Minor Kinesis over water and mud
  
  • Magic Stain: They have an excessively quick attachment style, thinking of people as friends and places as home within fractions of standard time.
• First Spell: Turn stone to mud
  
  • Magic Stain:Cannot consciously control herself around food/anything that ends up in/near her mouth, automatically swallowing the item(s) whole. Obviously this leads to an unending cycle of indigestion and stomach pain. Notable examples include a mugger's hand and forearm.

Archaic Circuitry: Old Code, Young Blood

Name: Erin Odilia
Age:23
Species:Wasteman
Height/Weight:6’3” 450 lb
Sex/Gender: AFAB, They/She Nonbinary
Appearance: A large crocodilian with forward facing eyes. While primarily bipedal her shorter legs don't get their torso that far off the ground. Alternates between sundresses and overalls depending on the occasion. She attaches her backpack to their long lazy tail that drags along behind her when it's not being held for stimming. Their limbs are covered in mock tattoos painted on in a pixel art-esque style using her scales. Currently the theme is sunflowers but there is one left on her tail of a lil’ guy from a comic she found that hasn't rubbed off yet.
Personality: Stubborn, straightforward and traditional. Simplest path forward and maybe thinks 2 moves ahead. She comes off as quiet and shy at first but is a jovial spirit once that initial shell is broken. At times she will overcorrect into overly kind and humorous when she feels like others are viewing her as intimidating, rude or hostile. Often described as lazy, though she explains it away as patient.

What Are You Looking For?:A place to call home.
Capabilities: 1) Junk Diver 2) Wrestling (in vein of wwe) 3) Junk Magic
Magic Form(s): Junk Magic

• Basic Kinesis ability: Minor Kinesis over water and mud
  
  • Magic Stain: They have an excessively quick attachment style, thinking of people as friends and places as home within fractions of standard time.
• First Spell: Turn stone to mud
  
  • Magic Stain:Cannot consciously control herself around food/anything that ends up in/near her mouth, automatically swallowing the item(s) whole. Obviously this leads to an unending cycle of indigestion and stomach pain. Notable examples include a mugger's hand and forearm.